"Valhallos. The supposed home of the bearers of Light. It is also home to the gathering place of the Reality Gods, a sacred temple where all of their bodies were kept. In an ancient machine that preserved them for years to come.

The dwarves run a small city, on a nearby mountain overlooking the temple. We'll set down there but I need to tell you this.

Ever since we spent our days out in space, the Reality Drive's components have been damaged from the years of neglect and fighting. As a result, it'll never reach its full potential in opening a gateway through the space-time continuum, it just won't handle the stress. It can only be a pseudo warp drive in its current state.

This temple, according the Garnesians researchers, have found that the Reality Temple contains ancient machinery capable of producing what the wielder of the Reality Gems' inner desires. In simple terms, it can construct a portal that is able to make the way through. However, since I am… hard-wired into the Cruiser, it will never produce a frame big enough for large ships.

I guess this is where we part for now, Captain." Phoenix said, in a depressing tone.

"What? But we had so many great adventures together! Sure, you deserve to come with us back home." I pleaded.

"It's mechanically impossible for the temple to construct a portal so big. It will only suit only you and polly. Listen, I'll go to Cryino-7 and either find parts to repair the Reality Drive or something else comes along to help me get there. In the meantime, you will need to rely on Polly from then on. I'll be fine without the gems, just you go to do what you gotta do." She protested.

Then the dark crystal grew worse and felt this building rage vouching for her death.

"NO! I WON'T ALLOW IT, YOU'RE COMING WITH ME, NO MATTER WHAT!" I yelled.

I gasped in realisation and crouched over in agony.

"I'm…sorry… I'm so sorry." I whimpered.

"I'm bringing the ship down now, Polly, you get him to the dwarves, clean him of the infestation and get back home. For now, it's farewell." Phoenix said.

"Thank you, Phoenix. You did so well in bringing Robi to where we are at this point, may the Gods smile upon you as you arrive." She softly spoke.

As Polly walked me out of the ship, we watched as it takes off and into the far reaches of space.

"I wonder how she will cope being alone…" I spoke.

"I'm sure the promise of a way will keep her from drifting into depression. Come on, we'll ask the locals for directions to where they can clean your infection." She said.

"Good… but you need to hurry… I feel like it's strangling me now." I gasped.

I was… the air felt like it was thinning around me, as if it was being taking from me. It's gripping my ability to breathe and becoming far more dangerous as its grip got tighter. I could feel my vision blurring and my hearing getting quieter as I was dragged through the village. Then eventually I blacked out with only my ears telling me what's going on.

Sir, please get this corruption from his soul. He's slowly fading into an abyss.

Dear holiness, his skin is white and the veins are turning purple! Quick, come this way!

Then ghostly voices echoed within the caves of my decaying mind.

Join us… join us… serve Tenebris. Join us.

It kept going and going until more voices, from the outside, joined in chorus.

Clease… O purity, cleanse the soul.

Join Us, Serve Tenebris

Cleanse… O purity… cleanse the soul.

Then a loud rush of water crashed in from one end of my head to the other and felt the ghostly wails scream into nothingness…

And then there was silence. As if I was left alone.

…

Robi… Robi Wake up…!

My eyes opened to another region, doused in rain. I was back in the same spot, prior to waking up in the space station.

I groaned as a throbbing headache surged through my mind.

"Follow…" Came the voice and it was from an angelic humanoid spirit.

"Am I dead…?" I asked it.

It gave no response but only one word.

"Follow…"

I shrugged as I got up and followed it through stone doors. They then parted to reveal some white light purging through into the soaking wet darkness outside.

"You're finally home…"

Walking through brings me back into an angelic room, then two very bushy beards loomed over me.

"Great scott, he's alive!"

"It's a miracle!"

I yelled as I shot up. It felt like I was back in the space station but it wasn't. I was in some circular room while a massive apparatus, with a large chunk of glowing crystal stood over me.

The dwarves, that I had so unfortunately startled, jumped back in shock and drew their large axes.

"Mitchy me! Gimme a 'eart attack with that blood-curdling scream! Good thing you're wereni a monster! Otherwise it'd be messy in this room!" One of them barked.

"Oh hush, Kindlebog! The kid is back where he is 'upposed to be!" The other gruffed.

"Where am I…?" I asked.

"Back in the 'eal worm, laddie. Yer in the cleansing room of Light. The only place left where cleansing rituals still continue to ridding our hames from the devil's curse!" One of them spoke.

"Ya girlfriend carried the Reality Gems with her so it was downright important that the faithful Paladin be ridded of Crystalion's nasty plague before ever setting fit in the Reality Gods' Temple!" The other said.

"Well good… I am glad to be back here and not on death's bed." I groaned as I slowly got off, the dwarves reacted and helped me slowly.

"Easy there! The holy diamond had only just cleaned you of the dark crystal." They said.

"Holy Diamond? Isn't that…?"

"Aye! It's the Reality Gem, we've been keepin' for yoinks! While the bad ol' Tenebris been diggin' around, he'd never find it here, in the humble world of Valhallos! It's the only gemstone capable of reversin' the curse! Cleanse all matters of Dark Crystal within minutes!" They proudly spoke.

"But not enough to purify the entire universe. It only has enough strength to cure only a handful of infected and choosing you to be the next patient was wise…" They added.

"So, now that I am cured, I was told to head to the temple to activate this portal to bring me home?" I asked.

"Aye, your girl's got the remaining Reality Gems, ya just need to take our diamond and bring it with ya. Once the portal activates, there's no turnin' back. All of them will vanish aff the face of the universe. No one will find them once their final use has been put. Go, she's waiting eagerly for you to come 'round." They responded.

One of the dwarves reached up to the machine and pulled the diamond off it before handing it to me.

"Take it, it's use is to get you hame now. Don't squabber and use it before anyone comes for it. The least we want are unwelcome visitors. Heh." He spoke as I took the warm, glowing diamond into my grasp.

"Jeez, I would've been dead if it weren't for you guys. Thanks." I said, smiling.

"It's nae bother pal. Now off ya gae."

I nodded and headed out and Polly was waiting for me outside and, when she looked up to me, I smiled and opened my arms out, ready for a warming embrace.

"Robi!" She said and ran into me, hugging me very tightly.

"I am so glad you're well again!"

"Yeah, that dark crystal was horrendous to my soul, I almost lost to it." I spoke.

"Dark Crystal is a bad, soul-stealing crystal that takes no quarter to those it infects. Now let's take this airship. They got it waiting for us." She said as I was dragged to this steam-punk looking ship. Just be gazing at it gave me more memories. Visions of me riding all kinds of wooden vessels at Gaia.

"My head is playing up again." I groaned as we boarded.

"Soon, those memories… will become reality." She smiled.

We were out in the open air, within minutes, as I overlooked to see the mountainous and forested regions of Valhallos, the wind blowing through my hair as we cruised through the clouds. Polly joined me on the railings and we conversed.

"I guess we did it. Came through trial and pain to finally have the means to get back home. I just wish Phoenix would come though. She was a great friend."

"I wish so too. Just sometimes, we can't get anything we could wish for. Now, you got me still and I'll make sure we'll figure out what to do next once we step through the portal."

Then the captain, of our taxi, came in through the tannoy.

"Yo, passengers. We're approaching the sacred temple of the Reality Gods. Final stop before I conclude mah shift so be sure to have your possessions on ya before ya step off my vessel, mon!"

The airship lowers down to the approach into the Temple and the railings lowered, acting as a gate.

"Enjoy your trip, mon! I hope you make it to yer holiday destination safely!"

"Ready?" Polly asked.

"Ready." I said as we hopped off the ship and began our trek into the ancient gods' temple.

"This is where the entire Reality Gods were having meetings? Discussing their next move in their secret meeting halls?" I asked.

"Supposedly. I wonder if Crystalion was as valued as everyone else when they were alive." Polly responded as we pushed massive two wooden doors aside and saw a circle of ancient glass tubes, as torches magically lit around us, illuminating the room they were found in.

I saw writing, covered partially by dust, and wiped it away to read.

"The Eternal Slayer – Preserver of ancient gods."

We examined the tubes and each one of them contained a being, flesh and bone, kept virtually intact, despite the aging times that the temple had been through.

"Each one correlates to an element. So, the beings, I found in the temples, were nothing but the remnant spirits that escaped their original vessels, to live on as either guardians or ghosts themselves?" I spoke to Polly.

"Yeah… it's strange how a small guild of deities ruled over the entire universe, fascinating." She said.

We also noticed that one of the tubes was empty and had a familiar symbol scribed above it.

"That must have been Crystalion's, no doubt, but I reckoned the situations was far to severe for him to join his chilly chums in death." I said, pointing to it.

"Yeah… was it you found him on his floating fortress?" She asked.

"Mmhmm, but it didn't end well for either of us. Now, we can use the technology, they left behind. Come on, we better get this done and over with before the Garnesians come." I said as we walked out of another door and walked out to this open area.

"Do you think you can come this far without flaw?" Came a bone catching voice.

We turned to see no other than the traitorous leader of the Soviet Marines, the Curator.

Before we even move, the man shot Polly in the legs and caused her to drop the Reality Gems.

"POLLLYYYYYY!" I screamed as she fell over the edge and into whatever was below. Which I hoped wasn't a drop of death.

"You will pay for that, you white haired fuck!" I yelled.

"That won't be necessary…" He laughed and with a single shot from his pistol, shot through my gut. I could feel the bullet force me back and sent me hurtling over the edge.

"AAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!" I went before I hit something hard.

It turned out to be a massive area, lined with ancient walls and gears. In the corner was where Polly laid. I ran over to check on her.

"Polly…Polly, please wake up."

She groaned back into life, still holding onto her injured leg.

"I'm… ok… I'll heal myself… just you… focus on that… b…bastard…" She coughed as she held a hand out, and felt the painful pellet being pulled out of my stomach… then the warming magic fixed the damage it had done.

"There… you need to fight him… I am in… no shape to do it… get the Gems… before their power is lost forever…" She groaned in weakness.

I watched as the scumbag floated down to our level, on a moving platform before elegantly getting off. He held his arms behind his back as his tattered white coat fluttered in the wind.

"You see, boy. Ancient magic and ways do not last long when machine and technology prevail in development. We were responsible for the Reality Gods' final decision to off themselves and our determination to rid the multi-verse of every ounce of magic is our doctrine. I have served the Garnesian Empire for years, years I sought that us humans become the greatest race in the whole universe. Using the blessings of technology to overcome the aging tradition of sword and magic.

Now, as the bearer of the greatest of the Reality Gods' power, it pains me to say that you pose a significant threat to our hopes if we leave you unchecked. The Empress insists on sending her finest men in taking you down but I know you're far more powerful than even the best of what she has.

So, I have decided to personally see you end. It will be me who will bring back your head for her to hang on her trophy cabinet as we continue our striving mission. Thanks to your kind "donation" the Reality Gems, although magic on their own, will bring me the tools, I need to bring you down!" He laughed manically.

I watched in utter shock as the gems spin around him before he was floating into the air to be clad inside a massive mechanical monstrosity, armed with various magical technological weapons.

"God, is this what he envisioned to kill me? A massive magical mech?" I said to myself.

"The true envision of our conquest. Massive, walking fortresses that lay ruin to those who oppose our challenge. A grandesque remind of the fools who dare follow in their footsteps!

Now it shall demonstrate on a fool-hardy monkey like you!" He laughed.

I need to keep moving, I can't let it crush me in one fell swoop so I began circling it.

The machine shows off its mighty arsenal by shooting missiles into the air that track to illuminated crash zones around me and explosions ripped through the stone work as I ran furiously to avoid them. Then it began anticipating my movements by using one of its large cannon arms to blast me. I was able to avoid a lot of the damage but the force of the shots knocked me over.

"Die!" He yelled when the head of the mech charged its eye lasers and I dashed to avoid the continuous beam of scorching light, that was chasing me.

I had to do something about those arms, defang the machine to the best I could. I noted that the massive gun arms were connected by exposed joints and the plasma rifle would only chafe that thick ancient armour. Instead, with my handy rocket launcher, its newly fitted lock-on system will help guide the missiles to their targets. As a laser points the projectiles, they float merrily towards the weakspots and an explosion causes the gun arm's attack to suddenly stop.

"Agh! You're clever but not clever enough!" He barked and proceeds to stomp me with one of its four massive legs. I dashed but only to be knocked away as the foot crashed forcefully into the ground.

I continued the attacks when I finally managed to remove the two cannon arms, drastically removing its offensive.

"Grrrrr! You've becoming a spanner in the gears alright but you will never survive its Omega Weapon!" He laughed.

The whole arena lit up as rays of pure sunlight scorched the entire area. Normally, I would be turned to ash within minutes but no, I felt some plating cover me from an agonisingly hot death and it became apparent that this ancient armour had covered me from head-to-toe, as the vicious beam attack finally subsides.

Holy Paladin, you were brave to bring the stones back to us. Your servitude in protecting our kind is duly noted. Allow us to pay our debts by granting you, the sacred Armor of the Realitcal Paladin. Only one of the true knights of our guild shall be given this protection against foes of grave peril. Use it to smite the evil-doers and their wicked intents.

We have blessed your partner in sympathy, she is safe for as long as you stand.

I looked to see Polly protected by a small dome of hardlight, safe from harm.

"Now, we're even!" I spoke boldly.

"So, the Gods have seen sympathy in your faltering pursuit to end me? How foolish, for it is I who should take their rightful place as Paladin!

No matter, you shall die like the scum you are!" He yelled.

More missiles erupt from the gigant as I used this metal shield, given to me as part of my armour to deflect the shots.

"WHAT?!"

I readied my shoulder mounted launcher, which was supposedly the rocket launcher, and several winding comets crashed into the core, that was exposed to vent the excess heat produced by the Omega Weapon. It was enough to break the machine and cause it to stagger.

"GAH! I WILL NOT LET THAT STOP ME!" He yelled as the machine closes the core to continue stomping me with its legs and had spawned two smaller turrets that spewed laser blasts at me. They're were easier to avoid, as opposed to the massive cannon arms, it once had.

"Finally, time to melt you once again!" He laughed as the arena was scorched but I sheltered, using my shield. I groaned as the immense levels of heat burned the air around me.

"I will bathe this land in sunlight until you finally succumb to the heat!" He yelled.

He continued until his determination had pushed the machine beyond its limits. An explosion ruptures the core, forcing it to stop the Weapon as a failsafe.

"You, stupid machine! You should not stop until he stops!"

It was finally a chance to strike a killing blow, as the machine seizes up from the exertion, two jets opened from the back of my armour and I flew around the area, the turrets aimed up to try and shoot me down but I dived down to the core.

"Leave the core alone! It's not for you to break!" The curator barked.

"Yes, and its going to be me, you can break!" I said as I held out my left arm, that had been holding the armour's arm cannon and let loose a barrage of blasts of light, it was enough to finally kickstart a massive meltdown as alarms began blaring through the mech.

"NOOOOOOO~! I WILL NOT BE BEATEN BY A MEASLY RAT!"

I flew through its legs and landed by Polly and watched as the mighty mechanical giant finally falls to its fate as rays of light began projecting from the exposed core.

I WILL BE AVENNNNNGEEEEDDDDDDDDDDD!

The air falls silent as a catastrophically massive explosion tears the mech apart and parts were launched outwards into the landscape beyond. What was left was discarded holy metal.

The shield lifts and Polly finally wakes up.

"To think fairy tales end with heroes in shining armour." She giggled weakly.

"Oh haha, I stopped a maniacal scientist from wreaking havoc." I chuckled.

She slowly got up, with her weakened strength.

"Where's the gems?"

We looked to see the 7 stones: Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Forest, Dark and Light. Spinning in the midst of the arena. I walked over as they floated down to me, lifting me of the sacred armour and turning me back to normal.

"You done it, Robi. I am glad that we're not going to be chased anymore." Polly smiled.

It's not…over...

The same haunting voice came to my head and we looked to see the horrifying posture of the Dark Lord materialising before me. Held back by the ancient magic, imposed by the Reality Gems, he held out an arm as he struggled towards me.

"I am far stronger… than everyone else you know… not even the humans themselves can beat me, no one can… not even you! Now surrender them to now, as the path before you, is a dead end!"

"The gems, they're doing something to the floor!" Polly gasped as the floor parted into a set of stairs leading underground.

The way out is clear, go as we keep the Evil One at bay. Go now! The voices spoke, from the walls.

Wasting no time, we ran down the stairs, followed closely by the elemental stones and into a long winding mineshaft, turning more steampunk, and strangely familiar as we traversed through the lantern filled tunnel.

"It's starting to feel more…Gaian… as we run… don't you think?" Polly asked.

"I think so… but let's keep going, the gemstones will certainly give us our way home.

"Raaaaaaghhh! You will not escape me!" Tenebris roared as the air falls cold, hinting that he had finally entered the mines.

Finally, we made it… but to a dead end. He was right all along. As we stood on the stone podiums, Crystal arrived and stared his glaring soul-stealing eyes on us both.

"Do gods never lie? We swore an oath to tell the truth, and only the truth.

Now, I am going to ask you…ONE…MORE…TIME…"

He loudly inhales.

"GIVE ME THE DAMN CRYSTALS!"

Then I felt a warming buzzy feeling around my skin. It wasn't a portal or anything. It was an ancient warping machine! Kept underground for one final use, if it can bring us home then surely it can. As our bodies began to glow, I looked at the seemingly exhausted old god and with a cheeky smile.

"God fuck yourself." I said and stuck two middle fingers at him as we feel our bodies being sucked away.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~!"

My vision began to go white as the planes of reality was left behind.

Where did end up?

What was our home?

What new lands awaited and what new challenges stood before our arrival?

The answer will soon find us home…

We're almost home.