"Um… should we do something?"

"I'm honestly not sure what we can do right now."

The members of the Vanguard watched in awe as Nia clashed with Oberon. The girl growled as she punched at her grandfather, who grabbed her fists. He smiled as she tried to push him back. He'd had to put a fair bit more effort into dealing with her since she dropped the wand, which was exactly what he had hoped for.

It was raw and untamed, but it was exactly the potential he had been looking for in one born of his blood. "Twas afraid I had come here for naught, but you have shown me the trip to this drole and dreary land has been worth the effort," he said amused. Nia growled and fired at him again, but he swatted it aside. "Tell me, might this be the extent of your abilities?"

"Shut up!" Nia yelled as she swung her arm, sending a slash of wind his way. Oberon held his arms up and blocked it, but was sent flying back. The sleeves of his armor were cut, but with one flick of his arms they repaired themselves. Nia frowned. She was gonna have to do even more damage if she wanted it to stick.

"Let me fight…"

"I can handle it," Nia muttered.

She raised her arms and sent a blast his way, and Oberon moved aside to avoid it. When he turned back to face her, she was gone. She suddenly appeared over him, punching him in the back and knocking him towards the ground. He crashed down, and Nia quickly soared down and spun forward before lifting her leg and bringing it down.

The ground cracked and shook, and the others stumbled. "Has she always been that strong?!" Junji asked wide eyed.

Dai Tai finally managed to rip the chain from over her mouth and sighed. "Looks like all those squats really did pay off," she said. She was really glad the princess was on their side right now.

Nia raised her fist and got ready to follow up, but then realized Oberon was gone. A hand suddenly grabbed her fist, and then looked over her shoulder to see him standing behind her. "You have already learned to channel your magic into your physical strength. Quite an impressive feat so one so young," he said.

She pulled her fist loose and then jumped up, spinning around and kicking right at his face. Oberon blocked the kick with his arm and then reached up and knocked her back. She spread her wings and managed to stop herself from flying too far.

"He's too strong, let me fight…"

"I can do it! I just have to hit him harder!"

Oberon raised an eyebrow. Who exactly was the girl talking to? A wave of ice rushed by him, freezing the lower half of his body, and he glanced over towards Opal. "We're still here you know," she said before flipping forward towards him. "Tsunami Strike!"

He lifted his arm and easily blocked the attack, only to see Dai Tai already at his side and throwing a kick at him. He blocked with his other arm and hummed. "Do you see what wasting time among the mortals results in? Your divine half seems to have all but withered away…" he said.

Dai Tai sighed. "Oh please, I get enough god talk from my mom. Junji, now!"

With both arms occupied, Junji moved in and lifted his claw, bringing it right down at his face. Right before his strike landed, Oberon's entire body suddenly changed into diamond. Junji's claw bounced right off, and Oberon pushed both Opal and Dai Tai away before grabbing Junji by the front of his shirt.

"That my granddaughter has gained such loyal followers of such rare origins is impressive, but it is clear she has not gone through the effort to teach you your proper place." He raised his other fist and swung right at his face, and Junji winced as he braced for impact.

The blow never came however.

Junji opened his eyes, and then looked shocked to see Nia standing in front of him. She had caught Oberon's fist, which shouldn't have been possible normally. But right now… the girl's skin was also made of diamond. "You can do that?! How are you doing that?!"

Nia glared. "I don't know." She had seen he was in trouble and just moved. Before she knew it she was like this. "Right now, I honestly don't care." She tightened her grip on his fist, then swung her own and nailed him in the face. He dropped Junji and was sent flying back. Nia cracked her knuckles before going after him.

Queen Titania watched as her husband and granddaughter kept up the fight. From what she could see, the child had a quick mind and a knack for learning. Oberon seemed to notice as well, which was why he hadn't ended this yet. She wondered just how much she would grow from this little exchange.

She looked over towards Alexander and Uran. "Have you two given up the fight?" she asked, looking amused. She wouldn't have blamed them. They both knew in the end it was futile to stand against Oberon.

Uran looked furious. Even with his powers, he would have been able to do little but struggle against his father. But without them… all he could do was just watch. Alexander on the other hand pretty much had. Nia was putting up more of a fight than he could ever hope to, and frankly their best shot right now was letting her see and throw everything Oberon had back at him.

Oberon knocked Nia back again, and she turned her body back to normal. Okay, having a slugfest with him wasn't going to work. What was something else she could throw at him? What was something Alexander did. "Got it!" She slammed her hands on the ground, and suddenly Oberon began to sink down.

It was as if the ground beneath him turned into mud. With his body made of diamond, he sunk down quickly. Nia bawled her fist up, and the ground turned back to normal. "Did you just bury him alive?!" Opal asked.

Nia turned to answer her, but Oberon shot back up out of the ground. "I believe I have seen enough," he said dusting himself off. "You show a lot of potential children. Far more than I had hoped for given your time in the mortal realm. I will not see such power squandered. You shall return with us," he said.

"I already said I'm not going anywhere with you!" Nia shouted.

She charged back at him again, and Oberon smiled. "You will return to your true home child. Of your own free will." He suddenly vanished, and Nia slid to a stop. She looked around trying to find him, but saw nothing. "Cressida should be done with her chore by now."

"Where is he?! Where did he go?!" she asked.

Queen Titania began making her way towards her, cna Nia jumped and got ready to defend herself. "Calm yourself child. As I said, I have no intention of fighting. Your grandfather on the other hand does not seem done testing the full extent of your abilities. I do believe that he wants a change of venue however," she explained.

"A change of venue?" Nia asked, tilting her head.

Alexander's eyes suddenly widened. "Son of a bitch! He's trying to lure you to Avalon!"

The princess frowned. "I told him I'm not going! I don't care what he…" She thought for a moment. He said something about Cressida, but she never showed up. She didn't sense her anywhere around here either. What kind of chore had Oberon sent her on?

Then a single word Alexander said stuck out to her. 'Lure'. Cressida had tricked her into losing herself last time by... no, surely they weren't planning to... "Oh stump!" She took off as fast as she could, and the others looked after her confused.

Queen Titania watched as she took off. "The wheels of fate are set in motion once again. I wish thee good fortune child," she said before vanishing.

Amber watched as Astro and Umbriel clashed blades again. The force between the two had nearly knocked her off her feet. She had tried to back the prince up, but it seems like every time she got closed they ended up crashing again and sending her sliding right back.

Astro growled and swung Ocean's kiss at Umbriel again, though the latter easily blocked it with his own blade. "This truly is amusing. A halfling of your standard possessing such strength. It is quite rare indeed," he said chuckling as Astro tried to push him back. "I had thought you to be one worth entertaining me, and I see I had chosen correctly."

The prince growled towards him. He was already in his monster form, and he hadn't said a word for some time now. It looked like all he was focused on was taking down the person in front of him. He raised his free hand and sent a blade of darkness right at his face, but Umbriel moved his head to the side.

Umbriel raised an eyebrow. "A wielder of dark magics?" he muttered. His little cousin really had collected an odd batch of strays. "You grow more interesting by the second."

Amber saw an opening, and swung her sickle down at his neck. He reached up and caught the blade in his hand, barely sparing her a glance. "You on the other hand, are of little interest." He pushed her back, and the split second he was distracted by her, Astro lunged forward.

Umbriel swung and nailed him right in the face with his fist. He chuckled. "I'm sorry, have I offended you by laying hands on your mate?" he asked.

Astro charged right back at him again, and Amber looked worried. Something was seriously wrong with him right now. Astro was acting like when he first fought Typhon. More reckless and savage. And… was he smiling? He prepared to charge in again, but suddenly Oberon appeared behind his grandson.

"We are prepared to leave…" Oberon said looking down at Umbriel.

Amber's eyes widened. Why was he here? What had happened with Nia and the others? Umbriel smiled. "Are we now? Quite a shame. I had hoped to spend more time taming this beast," he said. "But if we are to take our leave…"

"You're not going anywhere!"

Astro charged towards Oberon, his eyes sharp locked onto him like a predator on its prey. He roared and swung at him, but suddenly a blur rushed by him. He was knocked to the side, and Amber looked shocked as she watched the prince tumble to the ground...

His arm landing a few feet away from him.

"ASTEROSSA!"

Umbriel sheathed his sword, a glare on his face. "You forget yourself halfling. As entertaining as you are, you are unfit to raise a hand to grandfather," he said. "Take that loss of limb as a warning, and remember you-"

Before could he finish, he felt tackled from behind. Astro was already back up on his feet, and chomped down on the side of his neck with his teeth. Umbriel yelled as Astro locked down his jaws on him. When he managed to shake him off, the prince had managed to rip out a chunk of his neck.

Umbriel quickly healed himself before turning towards him, anger written all over his face. Astro glared right back at him, blood all over his mouth. "You little…" Umbriel grabbed his sword. "You truly don't know your place, do you. Well I shall be all but glad to teach it you defiant little-"

Oberon put a hand on his shoulder. "We are leaving," he said in a tone that left no room for argument. "I am sure you shall have another chance to confront Typhon's brood. But our goal here is done. Come."

Umbriel and Astro kept glaring at one another, but then the former backed away. "We shall play out the rest of this game to its end, boy. Just not today. And you shall learn your place yet." He stood next to Oberon, and the two suddenly vanished.

Astro cursed and stood up, looking around for any traces of them. "Astro, wait!" Amber ran over towards him, looking more than a little worried. "Your arm!"

"It's fine…"

"It's not fine! It's cut off!"

"I'll sow it back on later! There are more important things to worry about now! I have to make sure Nia isn't-!"

Amber suddenly smacked him on the side of his head. "If something did happen to Nia, then there isn't anything you could do about it with one arm! We're going back to the base and getting you looked at, NOW!" she said glaring at him.

Astro stared back at her, a mix of emotions flashing by his face. Confused, angry, more than a little surprised. But… he let out a sigh. "Fine, let's go." He rushed back towards the Vanguard base, and Amber quickly followed after him. "Shit, I forgot my arm…"

Everything was moving again, and the people of Townsville didn't seem to register what had happened. They did however register Nia blowing by at top speed towards where she had sensed Cressida. It had only been for a moment, and it was faint, but she wasn't about to second guess. Not if what he was doing what she thought he was.

When she had gotten there, she had been greeted by the sigh of a familiar face. Mariposa was clearly surprised to see her looking like she did. She had seen the other members of the family in their Mewberty forms, but it had her a moment to recognize the girl.

In any other circumstance, she would have jumped for joy to see the old family friend, but right now she only had one question on her mind. "Where's AJ?" she asked.

Mariposa felt a chill up her spine. Nia looked… different. Way different than the bubbly little princess she usually did. "I-I don't know. The kid was here one second, then all of a sudden he was gone," she explained.

Nia balled her fist up and grit her teeth. She remembered what Cressida had pulled the last time they fought, and she knew Oberon was doing the same thing. He had made sure she was going to come to him, and he had done it in a way that would give her every reason to fight as hard as she could.

He wanted to push her, and see what she was really made of… and he would.

Nia was a joyous person. She didn't hold grudges, not even against some of her family's worst enemies. She didn't hate anyone, and she didn't want to… until now.

"I'm gonna kill him…"

A/N: Oberon isn't done testing Nia yet! He's really trying to piss her off! Hardly a quicker way to do that than messing with AJ! I had always planned for the fight going to Avalon. At first I was planning on having Astro be the one to get taken, but I thought it'd be a better role for AJ since I wanted him to be more involved anyway. Kid had been training but... he's not messing with Oberon or his family.

Nia is gonna be on the war path, and as for Astro and his arm, that's gonna be addressed next chapter. Don't forget he is a Titan, so losing a limb or two isn't the end of the world for him. And he's not done with Umbriel either. Battle of the Big Brothers is coming! And what does Queen Titania have planned? She's always got her own little thing going on in the background. Keep reading to find out!