From Depths We Rise

by Insane Dominator

1 year has passed since Dan and the Battle Brawlers saved the universe, and when things were serene, a new group of Bakugan players are sent to New Vestroia when a dimensional interference forces them to meet each other. Caught in the crossfire with aliens seeking resources, Luke, Abis Omega, and new friends must fight using unlikely odds if they're to save all from extinction.

15. Welcome to a Morbid World

White space, a domain where the mind as blank as paper would lay. In the confines of this place, Luke was on his back, as if floating in the sea of pure white. He was frowning, eyes shut, and looked comatose.

There was an insatiable sound that sounded like someone was trying to get through to his head. This noise was what stirred him awake. With a deep breath through the nostrils, he began to feel his head swell. "Gnnngh…" His head stirred in another direction, this time trying to shake away the pain, but it only ached further.

"…six worlds that intertwine…"

Luke rolled to his side, groaning in fetal position, holding his aching head together. In his throbbing cranium, he could hear some sort of distorted voice fade in and out.

"…souls that have been blinded by darkness…"

"What…the hell is this voice…?" He groaned in the space. Even his own voice echoed a little in the space continuum. "It's like someone's inside my head…!" The pain he was feeling was getting so heavy. He heard about migraines, but he hoped it wasn't that. He was too in pain to even think straight anyway.

"These brave souls shall start with the visit of one world…"

Luke grimaced as the voice was louder than before. It was like a drum beating into his skull. "Who's doing this…who's there?!" He mustered the strength to open one eye, where there, he took notice he was in a white space. He gasped in surprise, managing to forget his pain out of shock of his change of scenery. He sat up and blinked several times before registering he was all alone. Not just that, but something else far more disturbing, one that he paid attention to from his previous incidents. His vision began to panel from right to left as he went wide-eyed. "This space again…" His head rung once more, the high frequency distorting making him grab his head once more. "GAH!" He hunched over in anguish and curled his forehead into his knees. The insufferable was once again accompanied by the distorted message.

"…forever be destined to change all…"

"What change?! Tell me what's going on?!" Luke shouted in his strain. He didn't get any reply from that voice. "Stop whatever this is, it's tearing my head open…!"

"Luke…"

Luke raised his head, his pained glare seen within the shadows of his bangs. He could feel his blood boil. "I'm serious…what are you doing to me?! Who are you?!"

"Luke…!"

He shut his eyes, trying to drown out the sound. "TELL ME~!"

"Luke!"

---

Luke sat up with a heavy gasp of air, startling Esther as she overlooked him. The Aquos battler had eyes as wide as they could get as he stared ahead with terror. He looked around, shocked to see that he was surrounded by his teammates again. They were all looking at him worriedly and with heavy scrutiny; Jase of course was in the back, observing like a vulture.

"Wha…what the hell?" He placed his hand on his head, noticing that the pain was gone. He kept laboring in breath as Esther sat closer to him. He didn't notice. "Was I imagining stuff again…? God why is this always happening to me…?"

"Luke, are you okay?"

The gentle voice came from beside. He looked over, now processing that it was Esther who was rather close to him. He looked at her as though she was a foreign object. "Esther?"

She nodded in confirmation. "You were out for a while. We were beginning to think you were comatose."

"Wait a sec…" He looked around again, registering everyone who was there and accounted for. That's where the problem lied. Maggie waved to him with a smile, which he was too dull to care about. When he realized it, he stared ahead with no less shock than a few seconds ago. "…weren't we all just blown up?"

Shuji crossed his arms. "Looks like whatever happened blew away a few brain cells of his." Maggie bumped his arm, making Shuji realize how rude he was. "Ow, geez. You little…"

Maggie craned her head away, but she winked and did a raspberry at the cranky Subterra battler. Shuji groaned and chose to drop it over more vital matters.

Shawn knelt and looked Luke in the eye, the searing gaze as serious as could get. "Luke…do you remember anything else?"

"Like what?"

Shawn's expression weighed a little further in. "About…that?"

Luke looked at Shawn like a foreign object, his brow furrowed at what it was he was trying to say. The longer his stare was, the more transparent it seemed to get. Evidently, it did manage to sink in, and he looked shocked once more. "But…" He tried to think of something to say, but his subconscious moved his hand towards his head. As he felt his fingers, he instantly pulled away and looked at his palm. He stared down at it in wonder and awe.

"…I remember being in pain…like someone was trying to hurt me inside. It…it was freaky."

Abis Omega rolled out of Luke's pocket and popped open. He turned and looked up at his confused partner in wonder.

"I don't know…and when I tried to call out, everything was all messed up. Everything was white, and all I heard was that same voice." He shook his head in disappointment. "It's…I just don't…"

"Take it easy, you just woke up." Shawn reached for him. "Here, let's get you standing. 1. 2. 3." He pulled on Luke's arm, getting him to his own two feet at long last. He stepped back to allow Luke to get his breath and look around his teammates.

"So…what happened? Are we dead?"

"Not quite." Jase intervened. "Sorry if I crushed your dreams as such." His tone, however, meant anything other than plain sarcasm, and Luke just glared at him. "What you might be feeling right now must be a direct result from a long-range jump. You must have hit your head when we landed."

"R-really? Is that why I feel so…wait, where are we?" He got a look around the guys, seeing what it was that they stood on. He began to walk pass Shuji and Maggie as he dazedly looked around like a child.

All around them, there was nothing but unfertile hills. There were plains that stretched as far as the eyes could see. He didn't realize it until now, but the ground he stood on was soft to where it felt like he could slip or depress in at any given second. He didn't even want to know if the grass they stood on was healthy. When he looked up, the skies were a blue hue, like cloudless days on Earth.

Luke hummed a small woah, as did his Abis Omega as they and their team looked around. They didn't know where they were exactly, but the air felt bizarre.

"The air is so weird. It's hard to make out." Abis Omega said.

"I'll say. It's fresh, but at the same time like it makes me feel a chill run down my spine." Verias said.

"Huh, kinda like my mom's meatloaf." Maggie deadpanned.

"Huh?" Jelldon looked at her in deep confusion.

"Are we back on Earth?" Shuji wondered. "It's weird."

Jase looked up at the sky, his glasses catching a glimpse of something. His gaze turned evermore wondrous as the wind began to pick up a little around them. "…no, we're not." Everyone looked at him now, but he paid no heed.

"That so?" Shawn questioned.

"Just look up."

That's what they all did. They all glared up at the sky to see what it was that got Jase's attention. To all their awe, they saw a large, pink, waning crescent that could resemble a moon. It was so large that it took up a third of the waning blue sky. And beyond that, there was a smaller, bright neon blue moon that was similar to Neptune. The many stars around them twinkled, even in the distress they felt.

"What the heck…" Shuji trailed off in his hushed voice.

Fly Beetle popped open on his shoulder. "This is getting weird."

"Understatement of the century." Atchibee said. "We might not be on New Vestroia or Earth. I'm not quite sure where we are."

"So we're on another planet?" Maggie inquired.

Esther stepped to her side, her glare up showing some signs of distress. "It would appear so."

Shuji flailed his hands up, walking about. "Great. Just great. Just what we needed after we kicked Rogue Zero off of one planet, we end up on a new one. This inter-planet travel thing is so getting old now."

"I hear that." Luke begrudgingly agreed. He stood still as he folded his arms, but as he slowly nodded his head, another epiphany was beginning to shoot his eyes widened. His nod motions started to slow down as he glared ahead with lips parting. Finally, he snapped. "…Master Riaan!"

Everyone looked at him as he turned with hysterics. He looked around uneasily as he tried to find Master Riaan, but all around was nothing but plains and uneven ground. With each turn, he gasped in worry.

Maggie's brow furrowed in discomfort. "You don't think he…"

Jase closed his eyes and lowered his head. "…it's possible, that he might have…"

"Don't say it!" Luke snapped. "He can't be, okay?! Don't you dare say it!"

"Luke…" Esther said.

"Look, maybe he didn't! B-but…maybe he was teleported someplace else, yeah, like before! We were separated before even when we were so close. Maybe since we didn't die, then maybe he didn't either. We've gotta look for him."

"Okay, but do you have any idea where to start?" Jase inquired.

"Well, I…" Luke wanted to say something, but truth be told, he didn't have any plan. He didn't even know what to do.

"We understand that he has been a very important asset…but you can't forget that right now, we have our own objectives to handle. There may or may not be a guarantee he made it out this time, but if you're that insistent that he may find the answers we're looking for, then the least that cane be done is reconnaissance. Luke…"

Luke turned his head away in ignorance. He hated doing this, especially when Riaan meant so much. For him to put up so many death flags back there left him unsound. The very thought was making him grit his teeth. But Jase was right. He didn't know where they were or why they're here. They had to play it safe.

He looked back, giving Jase a mean scowl. "…fine. But we better find him fast and get out of here."

"Understood."

Jelldon looked around, noticing something off. "Uh, hey, guys? Where did Atmos go?"

"He's not here?" Maggie looked around them to find the small green Bakugan, but not even around Jase, his partner. In fact, everyone looked around to find that the green creature was nowhere in sight.

Having a bad feeling, Abis Omega looked at everyone. "You've gotta be kidding me."

"No! Not Atmos, too!" Maggie whined. "Aw man, where did he go?! Jase?"

The Ventus battler remained composed, keeping his hands behind his back. He moved one hand to adjust his glasses. "Not to worry. We've taken measures beforehand. He'll be back momentarily."

"Wait, what's that mean?" Shuji inquired.

"It means I have arrived." A voice behind said. It startled Shuji so much that he fell forward with a shriek. He faceplanted in the ground, muffling his aching face.

"Mmmmpf…man, gotta give me a freaking warning the next time you…!" He slowly got back up, angrily dusting himself off as Atmos floated right over his head.

The Ventus Bakugan floated towards Jase until he moved his palm out. Atmos sat down and roosted on it, giving himself a breather as Jase gave an expectant stare.

"So what did you find?"

The head perked up. "I found something that could be of help."

Everyone once again gave expectant stares again. Even Shuji got up fully and dusted himself, yet he glared at what Atmos implied. This sounded important to them.

---

"So how much farther?!" Jase shouted.

"Just over this next hill. It should be right there."

"It better be something like a spa! Running in these heels is making my feet sore!" Maggie exclaimed. Of course it might not be, but a woman can dream.

"Well it looks like we'll find out." Verias said.

The group had been running along the plains and hills for well over a couple minutes. The ground had soft landing, but they still had to tread lightly. They passed over a few hills already, this next one surely to be the big reveal.

They all made it closer towards the cliff, where Luke, being so eager, was the first one there. He took his breathing promptly as he stared in surprise. The others hurriedly caught up, having mixed shock all over them; some too exhausted to act.

To their surprise, they were seeing the sunlight over their backs cascade light onto a large structure that was dented in the ground. It was lopsided to a degree, but its features were looking spiff and clean. To all their shock, it was their own mode of transportation that they thought would never have arrived.

"The Trailer~! Yes!" Maggie jumped in joy.

"I can't believe it." Esther exasperated.

"Well, isn't this a splendid turn of events." Jase grinned. "So it would appear that the warp hasn't just taken us. It took our ride with it. How quaint."

Luke's smile began to brighten as he saw that they had a chance after all. He could've sworn all the confusion he had subsided as he began to make way for the Trailer. Slowly, he started to go down the uneven hill.

"Hold on, Luke!" Shawn shouted.

Hearing his friend's shout, the smile transformed into a frown. He slowly turned back and faced him. "What now, Shawn? The Trailer's right there, we can get around faster." He reasoned.

"I see, Luke, but can you see?" He gestured to the Trailer, which Luke followed. "Look, it can't go anywhere like that. It's lopsided."

"He's right." Jase started down the hill. "We have to manually dig up the left-hand end to make it leveled."

Maggie raised her hand nervously. "Uh, not to put anything down, Colonel, bu~t I think I might be too tired for that."

"You kidding me? That thing's gotta weigh like a ton! Of course none of us are gonna lift that!" Shuji exasperated. "You'd need the world's strongest man to do that!"

"Earth or this one?" Fly Beetle inquired.

"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!"

"Calm down. I'm sure we have a much more appropriate alternative than human power." He looked over his shoulder to raise a brow at Shuji and Shawn, as if giving some sort of que.

Everyone turned to look towards them, seeing what Jase meant finally stepping into light.

Shuji blinked uneasily. "Uh, why are you looking at me like that…?"

---

"Heave!"

Fly Beetle and Verias dug their horn and bar hand beneath the Trailer, both Bakugan in their original forms and levering to what they could manage. The insect and ape budged themselves higher, lifting with all their might like shovels beneath an ingrained root.

Inside, everyone was being knocked around with the Trailer, but thankfully Jase got everyone to sit in their seats. The constant rocking and jerking was making it feel like a roller coaster, a really bumpy one.

Luke was jerked up again, slamming into his seat painfully. "Ow! God, is this really necessary?" he grunted angrily, but he was rocked again.

Maggie held her hand over her mouth, her face looking pale as she was being levered about equivocally. "Mmmm…yeah, is this almost over?" she groaned. "This is even worse than climbing that waterfall…Hmmpfff!" Her cheeks puffed briefly before she swallowed. She slumped over her seat exhaustedly.

"Hang in there a little longer." Esther insisted. "We're almost out."

Jase was manually operating the main control seat with his seatbelt on. He was pressing coordinates in the panels in front and having various green monitors up to survey the land. "She's right. This is until we can get unstuck from the damp soil. Once we are set, we'll tread lightly immediately. We should have a sufficient supply of power still in our tanks to make it a long ways."

Once again, the whole ship rocked, this one nearly tilting everyone over. Jelldon screamed as he fell onto the ground, popping open with a thud.

Luke's expression grew angrier by the second. 'This sucks…'

Outside, Shuji and Shawn were encouraging their Bakugan to move. They were punching and uppercutting, cheering them on as they were digging deeper than what they were intending.

"C'mon, Verias, just a little more!"

"Fly Beetle, I know you got juice left! Pump it, would ya?!"

Both Bakugan dug their claws and horn underneath the tires, this time digging deep enough to where they could feel a good hold.

"On 3!" Verias strained. "1…2…3!"

Both Haos and Subterra Bakugan strained so loud as they used all their strength to lift the one side of the convertible. They felled out in deep pain and grunts as they did what they could to get the whole left side to finally level with the machine. Slowly, they dug their heels and claws off to the side, maneuvering the whole thing to rotate. After a long, slow turn, it felt like putting a boat on land, because a quick shove and it was up and ready.

"All set!" Shawn shouted.

"Yeah!" Shuji smirked.

Their Bakugan immediately returned to ball forms, both shooting back into their palms as they ran out of energy. With them in hand, they hurried inside the Trailer, the door closing behind. They both made way up the elevator and hurried towards their seats. Both strapped in and readied.

"Alright, let's try it then."

Jase activated the function once more, pressing a single button that got the whole convertible to shift into its tank mode. The transformation was quick and easy, and not as jerky, which eased Maggie's stomach contents. Thankfully she was able to hold it in…this time at least.

"Alright, now we're talking." Luke admired with growing determination. "Don't worry, Master, we'll find you once more!"

"Jase, all set." Esther announced.

With a nod of confirmation, Jase turned ahead, glaring at the opposite direction the sun was facing. "Very well then. Everyone, onward!"

The Trailer slowly began to move its tough tires, churning in the soft ground as it began to mow into the green land that they were to exploit.

---

The domain was dark in nature, but at the same time consistent in futuristic looks. It didn't have chrome walls, but its integrity made it feel more Gundalian than anything else. It was a black, large palace, so large that it almost looked like a kingdom that overlooked the unknown. In fact, it wasn't even so much of a palace was it was a one gigantic kingdom compressed into something that probably could've reach a mile high up.

Inside its confines, in front of a pitch-black door, six figures walked up, presenting themselves as Rogue Zero. All of them had annoyed scowls on their faces, though you couldn't tell much from Maximus or Hendrix.

Killian drooped his head, sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Great. Just great."

"Oh don't feel bad, Killian. I'm sure there's more than enough forgiveness for you." Ariella sniped with a malicious smirk. Clearly her sarcasm was a curse that annoyed even Killian. Much to his own protests, he chose silence than add fuel to the fire.

"This goes far beyond my calculations! Indecent this has become!" Cesar fumed. "I can't believe that my hard work of years of preparations was dared to be objected by the likes of these lower lifeforms! Why I…"

"Save the tantrum for the lab." Hendrix said low. "We have reconvening to do."

Cesar's gritting teeth managed to slow and his exasperation to eventually settle. "Hmph, fine. I suppose we have more pressing matters to deal with…like for example, how they intend to handle it."

Ariella scoffed. "Well if you ask me, we're better off not knowing. Why bother?"

"Because it's part of our job." Hendrix pointed out. "Acceptance or not, if we don't, the new phase will not come to pass until later."

"You should listen to the big guy, Ariella." Xander teasingly taunted. "It'd do you some good to keep your tongue where it belongs."

"Why you…"

"Enough, you guys. That's far enough with those traps you were born with." Ariella's insistence was stopped cold when Maximus spoke. They all stopped their grimacing and looked towards their leader. Even with his back turn, they can feel his enigmatic vibe shine like a crystal. The leader cascaded his head and glance skywards to where the red jewel atop shined.

"Now let me make myself clear here. Hendrix brings up a fair point; we've done our part, and despite some subsequent mishaps, it still doesn't change any of the phases we were able to achieve. We've accomplished our mission, I'm sure that's ample reason to not worry. Now, does anyone else have any worries they'd like to share?" He looked over his shoulder to see the many people who were following him.

To no surprise, Killian raised his hand with a straight face.

"Well okay then." Clearly ignoring Killian's lighthearted trick, he faced the door, where the red jewel instantly began to recognize him. It glimmered and shined so vibrantly as inside its camera, several shapes and DNA screens were showing of Rogue Zero. The infrared and body heat signatures were followed by eye scans from afar. Once the jewel stopped shining, the door instantly slid both ways, allowing passage for Rogue Zero to enter.

They stepped inside, where the porcelain ground was surprisingly black in reflective nature. The ceiling light on the white ceiling was bright and glistened like gloss, making the room shimmer. However, it couldn't be said for the sides of the chamber, which was practically pitch-black, or otherwise in bleak shadows lied bitter darkness.

The atmosphere was no less assuring as it was quiet. There wasn't any music, nor was there any kind of demented wicked laughter like Maximus would often have. Rather, something more potent was what got even Maximus to give a reason to keep his hood up.

They all stopped in the center of the room, where on the far end of the room, one could see a white staircase spiral up the wall like a castle would and lead to the massive door on the top. Otherwise, around them were six symbols that made the attribute diagram. They stood in the center, facing their own attributes as in front, lights began to manifest. As they dissipated, they revealed hidden figures that overlooked Rogue Zero.

A strong silence fell as the six shadows looked at the six members who looked down at their own two feet.

"…Rogue Zero." A masculine voice said.

"Hello to you as well…sir." Maximus greeted.

"I trust that your stay on New Vestroia went as promised."

Maximus evilly smirked. "And more so."

"So I've noticed."

The person standing on the Ventus circle looked at Killian as he didn't look her in the eye, as per the demands that were set. "Hi, Killian." She greeted.

"Hey, Galilea…" Killian trailed off as he tried to find words to say, but he chose to keep the silence between them awkward.

The person in the Haos circle looked at them all. "So, you found yourselves some of your own Bakugan, and the forbidden card experiments were of success. In doing so, however, your time was limited due to extramental reasons."

Ariella kept her head low. "Please, that wasn't our fault." She insisted. "It was an incident from when we-"

"We know." The Aquos circle's figure said in an annoyed feminine tone. "And to think these weak earthlings gave you this much trouble that your part of the operation was barely compromised. What a disgrace."

Ariella growled low in deep annoyance.

"Don't be so whimsical about your false accusations." The figure in the Pyrus symbol said. From what was seen, he had a bald head with an eccentric mark on it. He gestured to Xander, who didn't seem so pleased with his own tone. "Perhaps we need to overlook what's happened."

"There's nothing to overlook in my opinion." She snorted. "I've seen plenty to know what failure looks like in my eyes."

"Yeah. Your eyes." He scoffed.

The Ventus woman looked at the associate beside her. "Perhaps not the case." She defended. "Rogue Zero has been a very instrumental part of this operation. Without them, we never would have gotten such pure energy now beginning its phases throughout our land. They were able to succeed in experimenting with the forbidden cards, get the water we needed, and more importantly, supplied us with a vital component to our project…despite from setbacks. I don't see any reason we should fret too much."

The Aquos woman merely scoffed in annoyance. "Well…they still lost to those annoying humans."

"Maybe." The Subterra symbol's man said. "But they did their part. I say we call it even."

The Darkus symbol's man looked down with a smirk on Maximus. "Well you're in luck, Maximus. Our expectations of you has bared fruit after all…this time."

Maximus scoffed again. "My, how flattering you are."

The Pyrus figure looked towards the Darkus one. "So what do we do now?"

"For now…?" The Darkus figure turned his attention down on Maximus once more, seeing his head bowed. He then looked ahead, his glare hardening. "There's no time for us to waste. We shall reconvene with this matter tomorrow, and in tale's time to see what defense Rogue Zero has for allowing themselves here, when they should be reflecting on themselves."

Maximus kept his smirk. "I believe me…I trust you'll find our defense most valid indeed."

"What do you mean by that?"

Maximus snickered some as he slowly got back up, standing before the Darkus man. Slowly, Rogue Zero followed in his rise, all falling silent as the pair of doors behind opened once more. A figure began to walk forward into the light, his shoes tapping making the six shadows turn towards him as he approached.

"As you can see…" Maximus paused, the figure getting closer to reveal himself. "We brought a little something back with us."

Standing in the light, the six figures in their enlarged circle stared at the reveal of a man with magenta eyes, his frown as deep as an abyss itself. All around him, the atmosphere thumped like a gigantic drum.

---

The wheels of the locomotive turned against the ground, the soft, moist ground so infertile and unsound that it was like going through damp yard after a long rain shower. The Trailer mowed on even as the sun was at the brink of setting, carrying the tired group within it.

Luke was staring outward, his elbow facing the table and his index finger tapping his chin. The look of impatience was all too clear on his face.

"Man, you look like someone who was waiting for his naptime. You look like you're gonna burst." Abis Omega tantalize.

"Hey, zip it!" Luke snapped. "Are you gonna help or not?"

"With what? All we're doing is just mowing along like Jase said. You'd be a lot more sensible to just look at the screen yourself than just ask Jase every ten minutes."

Luke gritted his teeth in hefty aggravation. Rather than listen to his partner, he looked over with a glare at Jase as he went on. "Hey, Jase, find anything yet?!"

Jase looked forward while driving, but the monitor in front of him was transparent and looking to be his shifting focus. "No, not yet. I'm still trying to map as we go along.

Luke begrudgingly sat back in his seat. He was no less of a pouty kid than Shuji was a klutz, evident when he recently went to the bathroom and they hit a big bump. Suffice to say that Shuji had a lot of cleaning to do in a short time frame.

"We've traveled quite a ways. Are we certain that there's nothing up ahead?" Shawn inquired.

Maggie shrugged. "Don't know. We'll find out, now, won't we?"

Shawn looked over, giving a meek smirk at the Pyrus girl. "You know, for someone so young, you sure have a lot of energy to stay optimistic."

Maggie's chirpy smile widened. "Aw, don't say things like that. You're gonna make me blush!"

Jelldon sighed as he bent forward. "Phew, well we've been in the clear for a while."

Maggie looked at him, winking. "Alright, jelly-welly, don't jinx us just yet. I'd rather sleep well knowing we won't probably be stepped on."

"Speaking of rest, is there any ideal spots, Jase?" Esther asked.

Jase looked in the scanner, trying to see what it was that had them in questioning. "…nothing, so far at least. All the monitors and the self-programmed map we're scaling is nothing but low hills. We won't find ideal resting spots for a while."

Shuji slumped backwards in his head, facing the ceiling. "Well this bites."

"Yeah, sure does." Fly Beetle said. "We end up on another planet and have no idea where we are. On top of which…do you humans have to eat regularly?"

At that notion, Shuji's stomach began to grumble. The look on his face showed bitter annoyance.

"Yeah, Fly Beetle's got a point." Maggie said. "I haven't eaten in like forever. There's gotta be something to eat around here."

"Well you can always check the fridge, but for now, let's find a spot before any of can…" Jase began to trail off as a beep was heard on the readings. He looked over in wonder to see signals bounce back.

The pinging sound was what alarmed Luke, getting him to turn back. "What is it? What did you find?"

"Is it a ham sandwich, because I could really go for that." Shuji said, almost pegging for it to be one.

Maggie sweat dropped. "Don't add fuel to the fire, big guy."

More signatures began to erupt on the screen, getting Jase to narrow his vision as a case of seriousness washed over. "No…" he looked out ahead, his expression cascading towards the outer lands. "We have company."

Everyone looked out ahead, seeing what it was that was making Jase so unsound.

Some parts of the ground ahead began to unfold and twist. As the rumbling began to shake up everything, the ground suddenly burst. Dust and dirt erupted like a volcano as what looked like Subterra Bakugan eroded. Wines snared in the earth, revealing a few Subterra Rafflesian. Amongst them were a variety of other Bakugan, like Subterra and Haos variations, with a lot of other Bakugan of various attributes that they were familiar with starting to appear. Even in the air, some flying Atchibee and Atmos were sailing about, intrigued by their invaders.

Maggie bent forward, getting wide-eyed out of shock. "Woah look at all of those Bakugan! Where the heck did they come from?!"

"T-there's so many not in ball form…" Jelldon was caught speechless as he saw the many Bakugan that lied ahead. The numbers, as well as the way they looked, made him get the implication they didn't come to say hello.

Verias looked out beside Abis Omega. "Do you feel that?"

"Sure do. Feels weird. Like a lot of negative energy." The Aquos serpent answered.

"I feel it, too." Atchibee said. "I don't think we're on hospitable grounds here."

Esther looked at her partner in shock. "You're saying…?"

Jase glared ahead, showing no means of a grin. "So that's what it is." He looked over to another screen that he held to the side. There, it was showing a high level of concentrated negative energy. "I was beginning to wonder where these readings were from.

"Then what do we do?" Luke inquired.

Shawn glared ahead, his posture making him look calm in the face of worry. "…what we've gotta do. Verias!" The Haos Bakugan shot into his palm, in which he was caught. He and the others turned and readied to get out, while Luke was still having trouble with catching.

"W-wait, guys! What are we doing? What's the plan?!" he exasperated. "Are we gonna at least try and reason or something?! Maybe they know where we are!"

Jase got up from his seat, beginning to walk pass Luke. "Luke…"

"Yeah?"

"Try to pay attention and listen. Those Bakugan are influenced by negative energy. They most likely see us as attackers invading their territory. If we are going to get anywhere, the least that we can do is worry about our safety first." He started with everyone else, making way towards the opened hatch that Shawn went up first. "Your sentimental values are wondrous indeed…but a good soldier must always be prepared to fight back, even when his own back is turned."

Luke understood what he meant by that, at least to an extent. In a sense, it's like when Riaan taught him the art of feigning. He could sweep and swipe in opposite directions to keep his opponent off guard, but what counted was even if he didn't want to fight, the other might not feel the same.

"If they are able to or have any intention of giving us information, then we'll keep that in mind. For now, focus and prepare yourself." With that, Jase made way the ladder, in which Luke scuttled behind to follow along.

Once topside, it looked like a large array of Bakugan were going at them in full force. The Haos Anchorsaur sniffed the air, the smell of blood making his fangs bare. Some Ventus Fly Beetle and Subterra Atmos also howled. It looked to be something that offended them all.

"Well, I can say this is a welcome wagon." Verias said. "Guess we better say hello then?"

Shawn nodded. "Looks like it."

"Doesn't look like too many ahead." Esther counted. "Looks to be no more than 50."

Shuji stepped up with a smirk. "Great. I've been looking forward to a little steam relief. Guess we'll make this quick, eh Fly Beetle?"

"No choice I guess, but let's get this done!" He rolled into a ball, caught by Shuji.

"Alright, let's knock them down a size!" Luke shouted. "Bakugan…"

"BRAWL!" All of them threw their Bakugan at the same time, each glowing their respective attributed colors as they soared outwards. "Bakugan, stand!"

In six varied portals from the ground, the six Bakugan the group had in hand resurfaced. They all emerged, with Abis Omega taking the lead, while Atchibee and Atmos floated above, and Verias, Fly Beetle, and Jelldon were right beside him. They all opposed the swarming Bakugan, soon finding themselves surrounded.

Jase adjusted his glasses. "Allow me to handle the aerial commodities. I trust you all can handle those beneath, yes?"

"We'll be fine, don't worry." Esther swiped her arm. "Let's go, Atchibee!"

"Yes, as you wish." Atchibee bared her sharp blades ahead, ready to slice anyone foolish enough to get too close.

As the enemy Bakugan closed in, they all scowled angrily and began to sink into them that they needed to act. And thus, they did.

A wild Darkus Atchibee roared out as it exerted a readiness to attack.

"Right, here we go!" Luke was the first to go. "Ability activate, Fin Melee!" Abis Omega let out a sneering hiss as he waved his tailfin around. It went in all directions, making a blue streak follow until it finally lashed into a Ventus and Aquos Fly Beetle duo that came too close. The slash mark followed as they wailed backwards.

"Ability, activate! Verias Siba!" Shawn's ability made Verias activate his staff. The whole thing twirled around in hand and created a yellow wheel. A Pyrus Saurus looked ahead and roared at his face. It charged for him, making the ground beneath shudder. With a challenge, Verias charged ahead as well, his ability spinning and pivoting to swing and sent Saurus flying. The Bakugan smashed into others, making dust fly.

Atchibee went upwards to evade electro shocks that came from other wild Darkus Atchibee. She found herself ascending to where she met them at her level. Her eyes flashed a bleak red, signaling her annoyance.

"Move!" she demanded.

A wild Atchibee hollered as it flapped its wings. The space around it began to blacken into a dense fog, one that shrouded Esther's Atchibee. Instantly shew knew what came next as the eyes brightened.

Esther's blue eyes showed a deep seriousness. "Ability activate…Scare Flash!"

The wild random Atchibee fired a bleak electric blast from its eyes, shooting at Esther's. The Atchibee she had made her own pair of wings shine from the "eyeballs", illuminating powerful bright beams that went everywhere. The stinging rays of radiance made her look like a blinding beacon, one that dissipated the Vermilion Jet Black almost instantly. The rays enveloped the one Atchibee, making it scowl as it suffered from the bright light.

Atchibee bolted dead ahead like an arrow, her long blades out as she tackled the Bakugan. The impact was so immense that it sent it to the ground with a thud.

Away from Atchibee's ability, Jelldon found himself facing off against a wild Haos Jelldon. The white and yellow version let out a great gurgle, one that challenged Jelldon as he maneuvered around the squishy adversary.

"Go, Jelldon! Show them you mean business!" Maggie encouraged.

Jelldon nodded in understanding. "Yeah, okay!" He braced himself as he squared against the Bakugan. "Let's do this! Hyah!" He reached his tentacles out at him, as fast as possible. The red static flared when it smacked the Haos Jelldon in the face, making it recoil.

Maggie pumped her fist. "Yeah! Just like that, Jelldon!"

The Pyrus Jelldon looked glee his attack worked out the way he wanted to, but his confidence was disrupted when he found the Haos Bakugan quickly recovered. And to make matters worse, another Aquos and Pyrus Jelldon surrounded it.

"Huh…?"

Slowly, the three Jelldon were enveloped in their respective attribute colors. They all scowled loudly as they could feel their power levels rise exponentially. The level of power was making them all have bright auras shroud them like beacons.

Shawn's eyes widened. "It's a Triple Node!"

Maggie gasped. "You're kidding!

Jelldon began to grow unsound by the opponents he was facing. He leaned back towards Maggie for the answers he might really need right now. "Uh, Maggie? What do we got?" he shouted.

Maggie straightened her mind back into place and readied herself. "Bet they can't pull off this yet! Ability, activate! Jolt Eraser!" The ability made Jelldon's glared turn red for a second before the frilly midsection he had started to give off the same glow. A powerful discharge of electricity enveloped everything around him, even electrifying some unfortunate Bakugan too close. The voltage reached the three Jelldon, electrocuting them and making their howls of anguish roar. The glows around their bodies dissipated as the ability was nullified. With them all incapacitated, Jelldon continued expelling static and voltage as he squirmed ahead, making an effort to whip the Haos Jelldon with a tentacle. The impact made it recoil away and fall with the other Jelldon.

Jelldon looked relaxed as he towered above them. "Phew, alright! For a second there, I thought I was gonna-!" His sentence was unsoundly interrupted when a green laser from above aimed for him. It made a direct blow, causing a green explosion to envelop a portion of his body. "Aaaah!"

"Jelldon!" Maggie looked up to where the source of the attack was from. To her negligence, it came from a wild Ventus Atmos that used a Green Talon Ability.

The wild Atmos readied to attack once more, and not just it, it had many of a Haos and Subterra flocking nearby. As they went for the assault, another Ventus Atmos got between them and Jelldon, revealing himself as Jase's Atmos.

"Sorry, but your little surprise attack just got on the wrong nerve." He declared.

Jase raised his arm, signaling an ability. "Ability activate, Green Talon!" This time, it was his turn to return the favor. Unleashing two green laser beams from his chest jewels that scored a direct blow right in the center of the one Atmos, swallowing it in a green explosion.

With the attack as cover, Jase looked down at Maggie. "Maggie, is Jelldon alright?"

The Pyrus battler looked ahead, seeing her Bakugan slouch and squirm to get up. "Yeah, we're fine!"

Jase nodded in understanding and looked ahead. "Very well then." He reached out ahead of himself. "Go, Atmos! Ability activate…!"

Atmos spread his wings apart, cawing loud as an aura enveloped him. "Typhoon Chase!" With one flap of his large wings, a large whirlwind surged and blew away many of the airborne Bakugan.

Maggie glared ahead and swiped her arm. "C'mon, Jelldon! You're okay! Let's do this!"

Though taken back, he got his second wind and let out a gasp. "Yeah, sorry about that!" He glared ahead, facing a wild Ventus Fly Beetle facing him. "Okay pal, let's rock! Sting Ray!" He pointed this tentacle dead ahead, shooting a straight shot at lightning at the walking beetle.

On another part of the battlefield, Shuji's Fly Beetle raised his horn, sending another Pyrus Freezer soaring. He remained steadfast as it crashed into the soft ground, creating dust.

"Yeah, let's turn it up a notch!" Shuji declared. "Ability activate, Sonic Wing!" The Bakugan opened his wing shields, generating a powerful barrage of crescents that went around the wings and blazing pass and into other Bakugan in its way. The many Freezer, Verias, Saurus, and some Gargonoid were unfortunate.

"There's plenty more where that came from!" Fly Beetle declared. He immediately took flight as a Hammersaur and an Anchorsaur came from the sides in order to sandwich him, however they ran into each other, sending the other to the ground.

"Horn Buster!"

High above, the Bakugan unleashed a brown electric blast from his horn, enveloping the two Bakugan beneath with explosive results. As the smoke raged, Shuji looked ahead with narrowed eyes. Even with the rush, he can still feel numbers flying.

"Is there gonna be an end to all this?"

"There will be soon when we siphon off their numbers." Esther commented. "Luke!"

The Aquos brawler reached out, commanding Abis Omega to constrict a wild Gargonoid. His hold was exceptionally tight, making it incapacitated. Once another Pyrus Juggernoid came charging from the side, its roaring was what alarmed Abis Omega.

"Huh? Not on my watch you shellfish!" He turned his long slithery body, undoing to constriction as he threw Gargonoid into Juggernoid's front. Both Bakugan toppled over like bowling bins, laying there as Abis Omega looked ahead angrily.

"Get out of our way!" Luke demanded. "Ability activate, Diamond Shower!"

Abis Omega unleashed another loud shriek into the air as his bright blue diamonds on his sides shined. From them expelled and expanded typhoon of swirling diamonds that enveloped everything around him. The enemy Bakugan before him jeered away or were too unfortunate to make any actions to keep them from harm. The explosions went all over the place, erupting like fireworks that deterred many of the Bakugan there.

Shawn pulled out his own ability. "Then let's add some help, Verias! Ability activate, Simian Howl!"

Verias parried another staff by a wild Pyrus Verias. He fended well as he shoved him back, and turned to see and jump from a Subterra Rafflesian resurfacing from an underground attack. Once he landed, Verias' jewel atop his head began to glow. "You guys are loud…but we can make some noise of our own!" Taking a second to collect his energy, Verias opened his mouth and hunched forward. He unleashed a loud, booming roar that distorted the air through expanding bright shockwaves from his mouth. They palpitated loud and ferally to were they combined with Abis Omega's Diamond Storm. The ground shuddered violently as many Bakugan were blown away by this duo of an attack.

As the shrapnel cleared away, Abis Omega was seen standing as Verias landed by his side. "Are you okay, Abis?"

The serpent Bakugan nodded. "I'm fine, don't worry. But these guys picked a wrong side to fight on."

Verias looked ahead, evaluating the incoming opponents. "I'll say. How much more are there?"

"Don't worry about that, just knock out as many as you can!" Jase enforced. "Everyone, keep pushing!"

"Yes, Colonel!" Maggie exclaimed. "Jelldon, ability activate! Shockwave!" The Pyrus jellyfish raised his tentacles into the air, where they all began to crackle with electricity. "Plus Fusion Ability, Glowcer Red!"

The energy Jelldon gave off served to intensify further as the frills on his midsection erupted with a bright light. A red aura enveloped his body as the tips of his stingers had a magma-like color to them. The red static began to look more like fire was he brought them all down, sending an omnidirectional wave of rippling electrical fire that pulsated into many Bakugan around him.

Esther reached up into the sky. "Atchibee, go! Ability activate, Scan Blaze!"

Atchibee roared out as she sailed at everyone. Many of Bakugan unleashed various abilities in hopes of destroying her, but her eyes shimmered an exotic red color that unleashed rippling waves of energy around that dissipated the attacks before they drew closer. She passed many of the Bakugan with slashing blades, making purple streaks follow and making them all fall before her.

"Almost there! I can feel it!" Shuji excitedly shouted. "Alright then, double ability, activate! Fly Arrow, plus Fusion Ability, Terra Surge!"

Bits of earth began to slowly rise up from beneath as Fly Beetle faced the Verias that was about to pound his stave down. At the last second, the brown beams fired from the tusks, enveloping Verias' abdomen and sending him backwards into the crowd of Bakugan. As a brown aura enveloped Fly Beetle, he could feel his power grow as he lifted his horn some, generating a spiral of dirt and dust that ran alongside each of the two lasers from his tucks. The attacks made it to the other end, erupting in a massive explosion of dust that roared exponentially throughout the terrain.

As the dust became a smokescreen around the group, Fly Beetle raised his head, exerting a loud, shrilling roar that exemplified his shrewd might.

Within the smoke cloud, Abis Omega was camouflaged in his Osmosis Ability and lashed his tail as hard as possible, whipping clean through a Hammersaur, Rafflesian, and Fly Beetle in one go.

As the smoke cleared, everyone looked around, realizing that all the Bakugan that they were able to handle were finally dissipated and gone, at least for the most part. Some Atmos and Fly Beetle, and some Jelldon knew better to scuttle away, but it was for the best.

Luke looked happy as he wiped sweat off his forehead with his arm. "Man, that was a surprise."

"Yeah, I didn't think we'd be surrounded and ganged up so easily that fast." Shawn admitted. "Where did they all come from you think?"

All the Bakugan returned to ball forms and went into their master's palms.

In his hand, Jase looked down as Atmos spoke. "Those Bakugan had a strong negative energy resonating off their attacks."

"In other words, tainted. I see." Jase looked around, seeing that they were in the clear so far, but deep down, he knew it wouldn't last that long. He turned back towards everyone else. "Everyone, let's hurry back inside the Trailer. I have a feeling we might need to get going before we find anymore studious attackers."

"Understood." Esther nodded before she and the others turned and hurried inside their locomotive once more.

Before he hurried back in, Luke stood with a long pause. He looked over his shoulder for a moment to see the evening rays illuminate the great beyond with fait blue and pink, like rays amongst canyons on Earth. As exotic as it was, he knew best to keep the images and pleasantries aside and find his master.

"Luke! Hurry before we close the hatch on you!" Shawn teased.

"R-right! I'm coming!" He jumped into the hatch, closing it atop of him.

As if mere seconds afterwards, the Trailer began to move on like a bus once more. Inside, everyone looked forward and on high alert as they trekked their way though the ravaged land created by unknown means.

---

Jase began to diligently press coordinates in his keyboard, making the map they were creating expand some. He looked at it, scrutinizing with a straight face. "…so I see."

"Jase, what is it?" Esther questioned.

"Up ahead, something is coming into view."

Shuji looked ahead. "Civilization?! About time!"

"C'mon! I bet Master Riaan's there!" Luke encouraged ever so hopefully as he, Maggie, and Shuji all hurried towards the front of the Trailer to be the first to view it all. He, and the two other battlers, cupped their hands over the bulletproof glass to peer through like binoculars.

They all looked steadily ahead, seeing something that looked like a manmade massive opening to the ground ahead. It had an overworld opening like a cave would, but it went far underground, and the Trailer stopped mere feet before its dark entry. Even now, a tingle ran down most spines.

"Looks like this is where all that energy was coming from." Jase concluded.

"You mean inside that cave?" Esther claimed.

"Well, it's not like anywhere else has a mouth open for creatures to come and go."

Luke's face showed disappointment. "So wait a minute, you mean all those Bakugan must have come from underground?"

"Sounds like mole people." Maggie chimed in, though she earned disinterested looks from her friends. She just looked at them like they were the insane ones. "Hmmph!"

Jase put a hand to his chin. "Well, I wouldn't say that is all entirely inaccurate. It's possible the Bakugan were up here for a reason, but if we stay here too long, we'll still be exposed."

"But we don't even know where this hole goes." Atchibee interfered.

Atmos faced forward. "Well, suppose there's only one way to find out."

Jase nodded. "He's right. Our answers lie in front of us. We'll just have to tread lightly."

"U-uh, can we vote on that…?" Jelldon shakily raised one of his limbs. "I think we should, you know, see for cities around here, or something."

"Oh quit being a baby." Shuji scoffed. "Besides, it's almost late, and I'd rather not sleep with some cover. Ya hear me?"

Jase smirked. "Then I suppose we've made our group decision. Everyone, we'll be descending slow. Hang on." He started to punch in coordinates and functions into the keyboards again, activating the Trailer.

The Trailer's main lights turned on, illuminating the terrain like a baseball fields at night. With high beam lights on and blinding potential Bakugan, the convertible began to turn its wheels and mowed its way closer towards the hole. With each foot rolled forward was another closing in on eminent wonders…and giving Jelldon anxiety attacks.

Finally, the Trailer bent down into the mouth of the cave, the open hole that barely fit the machine's sides and plunged them into the slow trek down its throat.

All while as they faltered downwards, the sun's rays fully set into the unknown yonder.

---

A long time has passed for the likes of the group; some inquiries of time more accurate than others. To many like Shuji, it felt like hours. To Maggie, it felt like ten…minutes. However, accurate enough could be said for Jase, but the others didn't seem too enticed to know how long they've been driving downwards instead of rather where they were going.

When facing the unknown, anxiety tends to get the better of some, Jelldon specifically. He was holding his tongue so tight that it was like it was going to explode if he spoke.

"Yo."

Jelldon squeal so loud that even he got spooked twice. He fell forward and scrambled to turn around, seeing Abis Omega there.

"Whoops, my bad. Didn't mean to startle ya, pal." He sure didn't sound sorry, but it was the thought that counted. "Hey, you okay? You seem more scared than usual."

"I-I~…" Jelldion scrambled to find something to say, but he fell short of a few good pegs.

"Hey, it's all good pal, I'm just messing with ya!" Abis chuckled. While he was seemingly amused, Jelldon was far from the mood the serpent was trying to set.

"Not funny!"

Abis scoffed again with a meek chuckle. "Sorry I guess. Look don't worry about it, alright?" He turned towards the front once more, seeing that the high beam lights were shimmering dazzlingly. "I mean, yeah, it's petty going to all this new planet stuff, but we got those humans to help us, right? Besides, I'm sure this'll all get fixed in no time."

Jelldon just looked at Abis Omega, seeing him in a more transfixed manner. "Uh, pardon me for saying…but I think might have rubbed off on you a little."

"What?" Abis turned and gave the jellyfish a glare with his orange eyes, as if daring him to say it again.

"Uh, nothing!"

Right answer. "Yeah, just what I thought."

Luke peered into the crevice they were going through all the long ways. He was super anxious as he was going to get closer into finding his master. He was so done with all of this. For the most part, their mission was complete, right? So they had to find a way off and out of who-knows-where, and to do that, they would have to find Riaan. If possible, according to Jase.

'Master Riaan's gotta be here, I just know it.' He glared ahead with an intense vibe resonating from him. ''I'll show them. I'll show them all that doubting Riaan was their mistake!'

His fists began to tighten as he gripped the windowsill. This didn't go unnoticed by Esther.

"Hey, guys! I think I see something up ahead!" Maggie shouted.

Instantly, Luke snapped towards her and scooted to her side. "What?! Where?!"

"There, see?" She pointed directly against the glass, getting Luke and the others to spearhead dead forward. "That hole right up ahead. That's gotta be it, right?"

Shuji squinted his dark eyes, peering at what it was to be a small opening that seemed brighter than the cave itself. "Uh, yeah. Yeah! I think I see it, too." He turned back seeing the Ventus driver in action. "Hey, Jase!"

Jase kept his course, unyielding to the passengers' urge to speed up. "Don't be so hasty, everyone. Remember, this is a manmade hole. The walls could concave at any given time, so moving the way we are is as fast as we can go."

The others held no objection to his matter of offenses. Of course Luke could argue that getting to the bottom of it all would subsidy quite a bit of a mileage increase. He could argue, but he'd be scolded, and he wasn't in the mood for that.

The tunnel's mouth finally came close. After a few minutes, the group finally made it to the new world's underside.

However, what they saw, they were far from expecting.

"What…?" Shuji gasped.

Maggie was at a loss for words. Her lips were parted from deep awe and freight.

"You've gotta be kidding." Shawn deadpanned.

Esther and Luke stared ahead with the same level of shock as anyone else but they barely upheld audible gasps of their own.

They land of which the Trailer trekked its mighty tires against was what looked like a land far below the overworld. In fact, as they looked around, what they saw were massive waterways almost everywhere. And even with those waterways, they were flying far, far down into waterfalls that stretched for half a mile deeper into basins that connected to lower lands. The land they were actually on was barely upheld by support pillars made from natural erosion that made an entire stretch of land slope downwards, and even that land was barely connected to another stretch far out. It was hard to tell if they were in the world's biggest cave, or perhaps the world itself. Hell, maybe that's what it was. The underworld, quite literally.

All around, even as they looked up, there were very large, but also thin rock pillars keeping up the surface world. Even in some parts of the planet, there were parts that were some large open holes that showed them bits of the darkening sky. It was hard to tell if it was majestic or scary. Perhaps both.

As they made way down the scarce path, everyone was taking in the scenery of the ravaged, decrepit world.

Maggie looked at the land in deep surprise, as deep as its seas went. "Woooaaahhh~…"

"Yeah, I'll say." Jelldon awed. He looked around, his eyes immediately turning towards something in the distance. "L-look! Over there!"

The others turned towards the direction he was looking at. To much of their shock, they were seeing something that could've been mistaken for an avalanche. They watched as pieces of the outer world crumble at the one end, where a decent size of it crumbled like rock.

They all watched in slight awe and horror as they watched the grassy upside plummet over that one part. It crumbled like dry dirt and shower down below. In the distance, the sounds of ruptures and explosions swallowed the left-had side.

"My god…" Esther gasped. "What is this place?"

Atchibee was in shock of her own. "That landmark, it just…"

"Crumbled." Verias' tone didn't sound so appeasing with its downfall. "I knew the place where we came from was soft, but I didn't think it would be this bad."

"Then it's likely we've found some theories to work upon." Jase said. The others looked at him like he was playing teacher again, not that some people did mind after all. "We need to take in the sights as we go along. For now, we need to scope out a suitable location. If we're to keep resuming our quest, then we'll need to find some privacy at least."

Luke's brow furrowed at the innuendo. He didn't want to wait, he wanted to find Master Riaan right now. He looked out at the land again, his scowl reflecting in the window glass. He was so focused on his own scowl that in the blurry background, he was unaware of a mountain of dust spouting like a pillar connecting the open hole to the distance mounds of rubble that fell moments ago.

Shuji looked over, seeing something else that caught his interests. "Hm? What the heck is that now?"

"What is it?" Shawn peered over, seeing what it was that Shuji was looking at. He gasped and recoiled away in shock.

Even though it seemed faint, there was a bizarre and very ominous purple gas-like cloud in the far reaches. It had some specks of white flashes in it; some of which made the sounds of thunder. However, it was in the distance, but its purple pigments and it being on the ground within an area was something that alarmed the group.

"The hell is this?!" Shawn exasperated. "Is that some thundercloud on the bottom?"

Jase bared his attention forward. "Hard to say. We're in unknown grounds. It is possible that could be a natural phenomenon."

"Natural or not, I say stay away!" Maggie shouted. "It's big and creepy!"

"My thoughts exactly. Which is why we'll play it safe and maintain a course…away from it in case it follows."

Shuji sighed in relief. He was so wiped that he fell backwards on his buttocks. "Man, whatever this place is, the anxiety is already wearing me down. We gotta find a place to hide and quick. I ain't looking forward to meeting anymore Bakugan out here, that's for sure."

"I'll say. We barely held up last time." Shawn held up Verias, who was open on his palm. The simian, however, wasn't looking like himself. In fact, he looked just as tired as Shuji, and the same could probably be said for everyone else, too.

Esther closed her eyes humbly. "We'll have to find an alcove close by. And fast if we're to make it through this." She suggested.

Luke's scowl turned towards everyone else. "W-wait a sec-!"

"Hold on, Luke. Don't think we forgot about your issues as well." Shawn got the attention of him with folded arms and weight against a hip. "I know what you're gonna say, and I think you should really be more worried about yourself just this once."

Luke looked at him shocked. He couldn't believe his lack of support. "Wait, what?!" Even his tone had defiance. "Shawn!"

"He's got a point." Jase argued.

"Jase!" Luke whined.

"Calm yourself. Now if you were to look at it, worrying about your so-called master would only jeopardize our own safety. Don't stray from safety that even you can't provide for yourself first."

"But I…" Luke was trying to find a reason for the others to sway to his side of the argument, but finding a valid reason was hard. He didn't know where they were going first of all, so if they don't map themselves, they can't find a way around to where they could help bystanders.

Like a pouting kid, Luke stomped his foot and began to walk away. He didn't want to hear anymore until they found cover. His patience was at a wits end.

As the Trailer mowed down the uneven landscape into confines unknown, the dark, ominous loud in the faraway reaches were crackling with bright white thunder. Its grueling, grotesque color made it seem more like a fog than a thundercloud. As lightning flashed inside, a jerk of a grotesque arm and ravaged claw reached out, connected to a bloodcurdling squeal of anguish. The squeal, however, died down, and the arm and claw went limp as it fell to the ground.

Whatever was inside, it didn't live to tell its savage tale.

---

In the odd tower, the group of six mysterious beings were applying themselves rather modestly. They were still unseen within the cover of darkness, but the echoing of their feet was evident that they drew further away from Rogue Zero. And behind them, the magenta-eyed man was making way with him, and he didn't seem too pleased by the look on his face.

As the bizarre group went away, Rogue Zero was left in their place with little say, much to Ariella's dismay. "So then that's it? You just take him?" she exasperated.

The figures all continued their way onwards, but the one to stop and keep his back turned was the man who stood in the Darkus circle from earlier. "You'd do well to reflect as before, Ariella. We shall settle this matter tomorrow as we have said."

Cesar sneered with an adjustment of his glasses. "Hmph, well, suppose there's better ways to conserve y breath, I suppose."

"There, see? Your friend there understands in full. Perhaps you are just tired from your trip to New Vestroia." The mysterious man looked over his shoulder, giving Rogue Zero – Ariella especially – a leer of warning. "I'd be wiser than you to say it's best that we all save this for morning. We have more important matters to deal with."

Killian snuffed his chin up and closed his eyes. "Yeah, those support pillars. How are they anyway?"

"As well as you can say, Killian." He replied as he looked ahead. "The many outer landmarks are slowly deteriorating. It'll only be a matter of time before our planet finally completes its next stage in metamorphosis."

"I see. So then the death toll is still high?" Maximus inquired knowingly.

The glare the man was giving forward didn't sway. In fact, it looked like he wanted to murder the wall by means of spontaneous combustion. He watched as his allies escorted a depressant Riaan to the large circle on the far end. There, they all fanned out and surrounded him as he looked hesitant.

Riaan looked around, seeing that he had no choice in the matter. He had Luxtor, and sword skills, but from the looks of these guys, they were very strong. He found in defeat before he chose to resign his fate to the circle. In regret, he took one step onto the platform, where it began to glow.

'Luke…everyone…I bid you of fare parting.' Were his final thoughts before the light completely enveloped him. In another moment, the spot was empty, leaving his fate to the unknown.

Rogue Zero watched in slight disgust as Riaan was taken to who-knows-where, while the man turned to give them the same serious expression as before.

"Now listen well. We have deadlines to meet. We can all do our parts, but the revolution won't start until we get all the pieces needed for Project Armagedoid. Its next stages are in place already. I thought you should know that."

Xander looked completely shocked at this revelation. "Wait, you mean you got it done that fast?"

"You seem to be forgetting who you're talking to, Xander." The man sniped, and his tone proved his point of the top of the food chain. "Don't forget, we have deadlines, and unlike you, Hades Pillars does not wait around for our fickle follies to show themselves. We crush them before they crush us. Do you understand?"

Maximus looked down as he and the rest of his followers were silent at this revelation. Maximus was aware of this factor, but he always just loved meddling around the bush. That was just his way of doing things, and while some of the others are more straight forward, such as Xander and Ariella; others held their tongue to indifference, such as Hendrix and Killian. Cesar was debatable, but it wasn't like the mad scientist cared as long as his projects got results. The only real victim here was Maximus, and the frown on his face proved his opinion.

"Cesar, you have half an hour. Reinstate your position here and report all data and findings to the project's domain. That is all." With that, the man turned and walked away, with what looked like his glossy black cape whisking and blowing, even though there was no definitive air blowing. The cape flipped once, making the man himself disappear into thin air, including his cape.

Rogue Zero fell silent once more, though Cesar gave a relented huff as he turned on his levitating chair and made way towards his circle.

"H'oh, what to do. So little time and too much negligence. What a day for me." He despaired in a mocking tone. He sure didn't seem to be grieving, not yet at least, but as he was teleported away on his Haos spot, the look said otherwise.

As Rogue Zero began to teleport away one after the other, the last to vanish was Maximus, and he had the deepest scowl he could've given. That was all before he vanished as well, leaving the room as empty as a grave.

---

The Trailer eventually found a nice secluded spot away from any possible outcomes, at least according to Jase. They were successful in what was the findings of an alcove, one that was more like a cave than an actual indent in the wall. Plus it wasn't that dark, so Jelldon didn't have to grief about his phobia. It took a while, but finally everyone was managing to settle down.

With them all finally gathered in a safe spot, and the Trailer in observation mode, they could begin to collect themselves.

"Alright, everyone, I believe now is as good as time as any to deliberate our essentials." Jase said.

Maggie smiled, despite how low of a span that drilled into her. "I don't know what deliberate means, but sure, okay!"

Jase chuckled. "Well then, let's start with what we already know. From what we've gathered, we've been teleported to an unknown planet in what may be a link to a cosmos. Little is to go on about how and why, but looking at the planet's integrity so far, we're safe to say that it's on unstable grounds."

"Yeah, that's a shocker." Shuji snorted. "That part of the earth went down like a tower just thirty minutes ago."

Shawn put a hand to his chin. "Not only that, but there's also the Bakugan that were atop as well. If the earth was so unstable, then why did they reside up there?"

"Probably so as not to get crushed so easily." Jase continued the lead. "Those are perhaps near metric tons of land that is all around us. And the support that the underworld is having looks to be weak."

"You think this has anything to do with erosion?" Esther questioned. "I've learned that weathering and erosion can bend and mold rock over time, but that only happens with weather. Does weather happen even underground?"

As everyone was throwing out ideas that have been accumulative, others like Luke were more than a little lost. He wasn't exactly sure what it was that everyone was saying. He was lost enough with where they were in terms of geography. All he knew was that they were on an unstable land with territorial Bakugan. If there were any other hints that he cared about, he would've picked up sooner. But sadly, he wasn't in the mood for any of that.

Luke folded his arms, tensing up like a little kid. "Gnnngh…alright, what is it that we're doing again?" he rudely asked the group. "I get it, whatever freaky planet we're on, it's gonna crumble. Which is why we gotta speed things up, right?"

Shawn looked towards him. "You're forgetting those odd clouds, Luke."

Luke shot him a confused look now. "What clouds?"

"Uh, those big purple ones in the distance?" Maggie said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I think that was the color of poison or something?"

"Well I say we can't take chances while we're not clear of here." Atchibee insisted.

Esther nodded at her partner's insight. "She's right. What we are aware of is that we're on an unstable planet, with territorial Bakugan possibly around every corner. Even now, we're not safe."

"There, see? Which means we should keep going!"

"We don't even know where we are you dunce." Abis Omega retorted.

"What did you say?" Luke angrily turned towards his Bakugan, but all he did was scoff back. It only made things worse.

"Esther has another point. We're constantly surrounded by danger. One could say this is a jungle even, Whatever the case, we need to be on high alert." Jase looked at everyone with a keen eye. "We'll rest up for the night, but for the time being, we'll start taking shifts in watch."

Instantly, Luke's hand shot up. "I got this!"

"Are you sure, Luke?" Esther inquired expectantly.

The Aquos battler nodded. "Y-yeah, yeah. I can do that."

The others looked at each other at Luke's proposal. From the way he's been acting, he was far from the leagues of top condition. His behavior was unnerving to say the least, but even with uncertainty, there had to be some levity, plus they needed rest.

Maggie finally shrugged. "Why not. It'll do you good to wear yourself out before bed." She chimed motherly.

"That seems ironic coming from you of all people." Jase teased in delight of the little girl's ambitious words. Her only response to that was a brief pout and puffy cheeks from her adorable face.

"Then Luke and Abis can have the first watch, and then we go from there, right?" Fly Beetle inquired.

"Sounds logical to me." Shawn said. "We'll take second watch then."

Jase saw the numbers already showing. They would need a few good hours of sleep before they had to slumber for certain. Even his mid-30's physique needed some levity in some way. With a nod of understanding, he adjusted his glasses. "Very well then. Let's retire for now. Another minute and I might actually get wrinkles."

"Hey, that's my line, buster!" Maggie retorted.

Shuji snickered meekly. "Heh, you 12 or 55? I can't tell."

The commented resorted to a tock mark forming on her head. The Pyrus girl's reflexes kicked in and done Shuji in with a sharp heel to the shin. The Subterra battler's squeals of anguish were high with the height he was jumping up and down from.

Shawn sweat dropped uneasily. "Well can't say that wasn't warned beforehand."

"Well then, time for bed." Jase deadpanned.

---

The few holes in the sky showed a black midnight, as dark as it was on Earth itself. In a way, majestic, but at the same time, threatening. The moonlight from the few planets in the sky radiated into the open holes of the crumbling world, darkness and never-ending terror everywhere one would've turned.

Inside the Trailer, all was as quiet as could be. Esther and Maggie slept in their bunks like sound babies, while Jase was doing his best to sleep through Shuji's periodic sleep talking. While all those rooms were sound asleep, Shawn was alone in his room. He was lying on his back with hands behind the pillow. The reason he was alone was because of one good reason, and that answer lied on the bridge outside.

Luke took night watch first, just as he said he would. He volunteered to do so outside rather than rely on the deck's radar system. He figured it didn't have any defenses in case the ceiling dropped on them, so it was better to observe from outdoors. Still, there was another reason why he offered such a position.

Abis looked out with his partner, staring at the cold crags with little interest. "Luke, I swear, you're so worthless." He mocked. "Are you seriously thinking your master's here?"

Luke continued spotting various rocks and anything else that would be moving. "Yeah, I'm sure. Why not?"

"Because last I checked, something seemed a little off about all this."

Luke turned towards him. "What's that mean?"

"My point is that I think whatever is going on, that Riaan freak's got something to do with it."

Luke's expression began to cascade into unjust anger. The way his partner was mocking his leader and superior was making him even more reasonable to be defensive.

Abis Omega continued. "Don't give me that face, Luke. You know something's wrong."

Luke turned away, folding his arms. "Oh what do you know? What makes you think Master Riaan was responsible for bringing us here?"

"Gee, I don't know. Probably due to fact that he was the one who was right beside that freaky device and told you all to scram? How's that for starters?" The tone Abis was giving his disillusioned partner was a most modest and more knowing one than what Luke appreciated. In a way, he wasn't wrong, but he didn't know either. But unlike Luke, he was keeping a more open-minded prospect. Although, his closed attitude was another story.

Luke grew all the more anxious as Abis mocked him a second time. "Tch, why are you pointing fingers? Master Riaan would never do that. Besides, you're just as clueless as me, so I don't see why you should be talking."

Abis closed in ball form. "Pffft, whatever. Can't believe how one tracked you are."

Luke gritted his teeth in annoyance over him being mocked a third time now. Abis certainly was chewing on him, and he wasn't appreciating that. Before he could give him a good piece of f his mind, the corner of his eye caught something swift moving between two crevices.

His head turned towards it. "Huh…?"

"What now?" Abis snorted. "Gonna say something about how-"

"Sssh! Shut up!" Luke hushed angrily. He leered ahead, his eyes narrowing as he peered into the darkness amongst the bits of the unnatural rock formations. He had a feeling that something, or perhaps someone, was there. He couldn't tell whom, but he just knew.

No second thoughts, that's what Luke was.

His eyes widened as something moved within the darkness. "Hey, I see it! What the heck is it?!" He hunched over the railing, kneeling forward to where he was about to fall over, all to just get a better view. To his configuration, something was indeed moving within the nearby rock formations, and it was scaling upwards. When he realized its shape, there was no mistaking it.

"A person!"

"A what?" Abis Omega questioned.

"A person. That's gotta be someone we know, right? C'mon!" Without thinking, Luke snatched up his Bakugan without any say in the matter. He hoped over the railing and plummeted down a solid twenty feet and landed on his heels like a kangaroo. Recovering from his shock for a moment's notice, he looked up to see the figure still looking to be climbing. He narrowed his eyes and immediately bolted right for the cliffs.

As he darted ahead, his speed to that of someone running for his life. One could say desperation even. He was moving along so fast that he could've been sprinting a long way towards the far crags, because this looked to be important.

'That's gotta somebody we know, right? We might be the only ones on this planet, so it's gotta be Master Riaan or someone from Troposphere.' He eventually made it to the base of the massive wall. As he was heaving for a breath, he was looking up, seeing how high the figure was. "Hey…!" He shouted as decent as he could even to get his attention. Unfortunately, it didn't bother reaching that high.

The figure went farther away, opening a further gap with every second that passed. Wherever he was going, it looked to be important to be treading such a climb.

"Crap, gotta think…" He was running rather low on what options he had available. He could use his sword to climb his way up, but then again the constant prodding might eventually break it. And while he was a natural at climbing walls – from certain exploits and sneak outs with Shawn – among other possibilities, there wasn't anything else. At the rate he was thinking, his brain drew up a plan.

And sure enough, he found his answer. Or rather, the answer was in his grip.

Looking down at his Abis Omega, the battler and heir realized he had a solution. He looked up once more to see that the figure was near the top. He knew the best way to climb was to get up with a ladder, and what better way to do that other than a serpent Bakugan? He pulled his arm back, throwing out his Bakugan.

"Bakugan, brawl!"

Abis Omega hit the ground and turned to his true form. The serpent arose in many of coils and slunk with a hiss. The alarming roar from below was what gave them away, and the figure above began to quicken the pace.

"Hurry! Let's get up there!" Luke ran up and took a big leap. He met Abis Omega's slender back and gripped tight on his scaly body. The touch of his master's fingerless gloved hands made the serpent scowl in annoyance.

"You serious about this?" he grunted annoyingly.

Luke's glare turned demanding. "Hurry! He might slip from us!"

Sighing, Abis relented and took up to the cliff. The serpent saw how rocky the wall was, and all he did was slithered up it in serpentine fashion. The swaying of his body made him almost forget his folded fins. The fins themselves were barely anchors between wedges in the events of falling, which wasn't happening since the wall was so slanted, albeit steeply. The Bakugan eventually reached the top, zooming so fast thanks to his body style. Sure it wasn't Atchibee or Atmos, but close enough for Luke's liking.

Upon seeing the slope, Abis opened his mouth and lunged at the rocky opening. He hissed as loud as a giant monster would before devouring something. The fangs pierced the rock like hard candy, making it so that he didn't slip. This allowed Luke to run up his head and make a big leap onto the ground. Once he landed, Abis Omega immediately went to ball form, returning to his hand.

Luke glared ahead. "Alright, who are you? Well?" he told the figure, of whose back was turned. "Are you Master Riaan? Do you know him or something?"

The figure didn't speak, let alone turn around. From the slicked bangs he had going over his head, one could've assumed that, and by the cape, it could've been him, but it was too dark to tell.

"W-well?! Are you gonna answer or not?!" Luke's patience was at an end. He was getting more impatient by the second, and he wasn't going to take no for an answer. He was more than tempted to pull out his sword if necessary.

Finally, the figure's shrouded head tilted downwards. "Tch, 'Master Riaan', huh?"

Luke's eyes widened at the familiar sound this individual had. 'Wait, that voice…' He looked ahead, his dread rising. "No way, are you…?"

The figure scoffed meekly as the night was still cover. "So you've actually survived this long. Gotta say, not bad…for amateurs who don't belong here."

The moonlight finally radiated over the individual, seeing as how he was finally turning around to give Luke a hard look. Green eyes lit up like emerald of the sharpest density, and the way his hair flowed proved how intense and yet slick he was. From what was realized, this was far from Riaan. In fact, it was the one person who Luke wanted to see last.

"You!" He pointed accusingly. "You're that guy! The one from Troposphere!"

Luka scoffed without any pleasantries. "Yeah, that's me. What do you know?"

Luke's teeth gritted once more as the look he had was not what he wanted to see. He reached for his sword, ready to point and aim it at his throat. "You! What the hell happened? What happened to Master Riaan? And why are you here?!" he snapped angrily with so many questions that it was hard to tell which one to focus on. "Tell me!"

Luka seemed calm, despite the pressure Luke was forcing onto him. "Simmer down, you'll run your mouth so loud that you'll get some Bakugan out here."

Luke realized what it was he was referring to and growled low. He managed to relent from his loud and harsh tone, but only because out of the sense of security. "Just what happened?" he asked, this time at a calmer volume.

"Tch, don't you know enough already? I thought you'd be smart enough to know by now." Luka sniped as his head turned away. He shot a glance from the corner of his eyes at Luke, however. "But I guess that comes from being a clueless human."

"What's that mean?"

Luka's frown grew all the more heavy. "Guess you don't really know then."

"What are you saying? Who are you?"

"…" The unknown figure said nothing, but instead, he allowed something else to pop up. On his shoulder, a Bakugan rolled up and popped open, revealing it to be his Alto Brontes.

"Huh? Hey, wait, I know you." Abis Omega said. "You're that guy from before, too!"

Alto Brontes started out with a small, malicious chuckle. A chuckle that some clown would give even. It was making Luke and Abis feel a chill run down their spines.

W-what the hell are your deals…?" Luke was starting to lose his patience with the possible nemesis. "Is that a clown or…?"

"Well no flies on you." The Bakugan finally talked. "An honor indeed for you to have made it this long." His voiced wasn't as desolate as they thought it was. In fact, it was surprisingly quelled, mellow even. Even though it still unnerved them some.

Luka brought the attention back to him. "Tell me, what do you know so far?"

Luke looked at him confused. "What?"

"What do you know? Anything."

Luke was still caught off. He wasn't sure what to say, or even reply with for that matter. Here he was giving the questions he wanted to know and demand of, and here comes this guy turning the tables. Even so, he didn't know what to say. "I…uh…j-just what the heck?"

"I take it that you don't know much then." Luka configured snobbishly. "Typical. That explains why you were dumb enough to not heed my warning beforehand."

Luke's brow furrowed. "Hey, we knew what we were doing! We knew Rogue Zero was up to no good, so why go penalize us like that? Seriously, you think you know better?"

Luka's glare hardened against his. "At least I know enough to know the true enemy. Even when he's in plain sight all along."

"Wait…what?" Luke stammered in confusion over what he meant by such a claim. Suffice to say by the look he had he still didn't get it. "What's that mean? Tell me! Are you saying Master Riaan?"

Luka snorted. "Who else? You're too dumb to accept it."

Luke's anger began to spike higher and higher. In fact, he looked like he was going to boil over at any given second. "Why you~!" Finally having enough, he pulled out his sword. "Tell me! Why is everyone so against my master?! He's done everything to keep everything in line, is this really what he deserves?!"

"Oh little human." Alto Brontes cooed. "If only you had common sense."

"Stop bantering and tell me what I wanna know!" Luke snapped. "Where is Master Riaan?!"

Luke could see the hardboiled anger that the human redhead was exasperating. He looked like he was going to explode, if not melt from the sweat he was starting to expel. Finally, he saw that Luke was being too incorrigible for what he wanted. He saw nothing to it than just simple volleyball, the ball being the answer.

It was his turn to serve.

"You want to know?" Luka looked out towards the isles and uneased land that trekked long and far. "Fine, but the answers lie east. Head there once you and your friends are set. You'll find a place called Solaris. Handia Palace is probably where your so-called master is at."

Finally getting what he wanted, Luke began to lower his guard. "How do you know that?"

Luka began to slowly walk away. "Unlike you and you humans, I know the real story…and if you plunge too deep in this still water, you're not coming out."

"But what does this have to do with Master Riaan?"

Luka turned away, frowning with a hefty eyeroll. "I'll say this once, so listen…your Master Riaan…everyone you've known...all those people you think you know won't be there for you for when you realize it. It'll just be you alone. Pay heed to your negligence, because when you realize it, you'll lose that part of you forever."

"Wait…!" Luke reached out, but it was too late. Luka was already out of earshot, and he seemed to be heading out towards east to get what he wanted. But even that didn't matter to Luke, supposedly that is. He stared out in deep wonder as the Haos person of interest silently went on his way east. "…east to Solaris, huh…so that's where he is."

"I don't know about this, Luke." Abis doubted. "Seems like a trap to me."

Luke's brow furrowed deeper as he glared daggers at eastward. "Maybe, but I bet we'll find answers to Riaan there. I gotta know why everyone's against him."

Abis closed up into his palm. "Whatever. Well we better get back. Our hour's almost up."

"Yeah, whatever." Luke turned away, this time using his sword as a grid as he slid down the very long way back down towards the Trailer. He was going to need a really good excuse for Shawn to believe him then.

---

Inside some chambers of the lower levels of Handia Palace, the air vents were filtering in some fresh air into a room with standard commodities, nothing too out of the ordinary. Compared to the others, one room in particular could be the most normal. In a way, if humans ever went to universities, supposedly it was like that. Nothing big with all essentials inside. Even a mini fridge in the corner.

Killian was minding his own business as he laid shirtless in his bed. It was very late at night, and here he was, staring at the spinning air overhead with arms behind his head that sandwiched a pillow. He could be sleeping right now, but there was one problem with that.

Out of everyone, he had the most difficulty.

He turned onto his side once more and faced the nightstand, where his Moskeeto was resting. The creaking of his lumpy mattress was what stirred awake the Ventus Bakugan as his newly regained conscious checked in with his partner.

"Huh? What…?"

Killian's head went up like a bird's. He saw that Moskeeto was awake once more. "Moskeeto? You're up…" he groggily greeted.

"So it seems." He groaned back. "You still awake?"

Killian buried his head into his pillow for the twentieth time in thirty minutes. "Yeah."

"This happened last night, too. What's the term you use again?"

"Insomnia."

Moskeeto fell silent as he processed what his master said. "I got it. But how do you stand up in little sleep?

His question wasn't entirely inaccurate to say was inappropriate. It wasn't crossing any lines, but at the same time, Killian was asking himself such a question. Why is it that he has trouble sleeping? He was always a late nightery, possibly because it takes his body forever to cool down. Having such a high metabolism takes forever to simmer down to where the body would be at ease. For as long as he could remember, he's always been like this. The way he's so productive and ran on so little was a feat that made him a valued asset.

Still, why he wasn't sleeping when it was 1 in the morning wasn't uncommon. "…takes forever I guess." He finally answered.

Feeling satisfied, Moskeeto finally went into ball form again. "Alright, well get some rest."

"Yeah, you too."

The room fell silent as cool air continued simmering down the rambunctious being.

---

The nighttime air was quiet within the unknown regions. The black sky within the atmosphere was slowly dissipating, becoming brighter as the sun began to rise over the eastern world. Dawn had finally arisen.

The Trailer was already on the move, everyone having done their shifts and managing at least six hours, if not five for the last one on hand. By now, the whole machine was making great progress as its reserves were up and everyone inside was looking ahead.

Esther turned around to face the driver's seat. "How much have we been able to map out so far, Jase?"

The Ventus battler of the group was making the Trailer act on auto-pilot as he handled the controls and key functions. His fingers glided along the holographic board as a green scanner in front was showing. On it, back and forth, it looked like radar, and the dark layers was the earth they were trekking.

"It's going well. There's thin land, but nothing serious at the moment."

Esther nodded at the answer given.

Maggie stretched overhead, yawning loudly. "Well let me know if we get anywhere…" She lazily fell backwards, sighing before she looked knocked out in her seat.

Jelldon looked towards his partner with worry. "Maggie?" He rolled to her side, looking up to find that she was back asleep. "Good grief. I knew taking the last shift would do no good."

"Yeah? But you seemed willing." Verias pointed out.

Jelldon wanted to rebuff what was spoken, but even Fly Beetle's expectant, if not more indifferent, expression behind his red eyes gave signs of solid knowledge. Better the last shift than face darkness, at least by Jelldon's security.

"Seriously, you gotta get over that fear man." Fly beetle said.

"I'm trying!" he defended. "It's just…taking some motivation is all."

Verias and Fly Beetle both looked at each other questionably, but they chose to dismiss anymore prospects or hopes of motivation. Fly Beetle turned back towards him. "Well you better be careful then, because wherever we might go might not be that pretty."

Jelldon nodded. "I know."

"Hope we find some food soon. I think we're just about spent from yesterday." Shawn warned. They were able to stock up early yesterday morning back in New Vestroia by usage of the water that acted as streets. But that was just water. Food was another story entirely. When it came to that, that was more than a little struggle. "We only have enough for what looks like a handful for all of us now."

Shuji folded his arms. "Great, just fine by me." He was heavy when it came to the sarcasm, and frankly that's what made Shawn pop a smile on his face.

"Why so surprised, Shuji? I thought you'd sound more excited. You've been meaning to lose some pounds, have you?"

A tick mark grew on his forehead, a shadow overlooking his eyes as his left eyebrow twitched. "Yeah. I'm so excited." He growled ferally between his gnawing teeth.

Esther looked over, seeing as how someone didn't seem so excited as everyone else was. Looking at the redhead that peered outside the window, the Darkus girl saw to it to see what the transfixed expression was all about.

"Luke?" she started. "Are you alright?"

"I'll say this once, so listen…your Master Riaan…everyone you've known...all those people you think you know won't be there for you for when you realize it. It'll just be you alone. Pay heed to your negligence, because when you realize it, you'll lose that part of you forever." That same phrase that Luka spoke last night continued to scratch and dig into his mind, and has been for almost the entirety of the night. It was a miracle he was still awake.

'What does he mean by that? Is Master Riaan really that ambiguous? He was always an open book for me.' Luke was so lost in his revelations that everything around him was mute. He didn't even notice Esther's gloved hand waving in front of his face, showing how fixated he was. 'But I'm going to find him. Handia Palace, you better have the answers I want.'

"Luke!"

The shout of Esther's voice finally rung a bell inside him. The Aquos battler nearly scrambled as he looked towards her. "W-what is it?" he stammered.

"You were spacing out pretty hard. What's the matter?"

Luke sheepishly turned away, folding his arms. "Nothing."

"It sure didn't seem like nothing. Was it something you dreamt about again?"

Luke looked at her with a deep brow furrowed. He could tell about it, but it would be best to keep the whole Luka thing to himself. He wanted to see what the Haos battler meant, even if it was the last thing he did. "…sorta." He lied.

Esther gave him another deep look, one that seemed to be piercing into Luke's heart to see if he was lying. No matter how long she stared, it still felt uncomfortable for Luke. Ultimately, and thankfully, she chose to dismiss the questions she wanted to know and thought better of it.

She looked ahead. "Alright. If you have anymore, however, don't be afraid to tell us."

Luke sheepishly turned away. "Yeah, whatever."

Abis Omega popped between the two. "Hey, if you're both done sharing feelings, I think we see something."

The first comment left Luke and Esther in surprise; Luke more so than Esther. She frowned gravely while Luke showed embarrassment. "W-what the hell? It's got nothing to do with that!"

Abis Omega snorted. "Heh, they always say that."

"How comical." Atchibee admitted. "To think Abis was a love expert."

"Hey, I call them as I see them."

"Just like Luke." Shawn teased from the side, earning himself a cranky glare from Luke himself.

Esther looked towards her Atchibee, having caught onto the second part. "You said you saw something?"

Atchibee nodded her head and slowly turned. "Yes, I think the answers lie ahead."

The others got wind of what she was saying. Shuji lightly elbowed Maggie and made the tired girl arouse from her power nap. The groggy girl and the studious pilot soon got up and allowed auto pilot to enact on its own straight forward across the downward landscape they treaded. They all slowly gathered up near the window, all of them looking out to something bleak in the distance.

When they began to trek closer, Fly Beetle raised his horn. "What…?" Beside him, all of the other Bakugan were left without words.

Every person fell in silent awe at what was far in the distance. Some felt hope arise.

In the far distance, they could see what looked like a kingdom, and one of some modest commodities from afar. They could see a lot of lights, making it look like an American lit city. The size of the city itself was wondrous alone. It was amazing at how big it was, especially with it looking to be in the middle of presumably nowhere. But what really stuck out from everything…was the enormous palace-like structure that was within the center of it all. The way it was all built made it look so modern that it was borderline frightening.

As the Trailer mowed on, they were all left without words to say for a while. That is, until Shuji finally muttered something. "Whoa…"

"I'll say. Damn." Shawn added. "That's a pretty big city."

Esther's eyes were wide in shock. "A city underground. That's impressive."

Jase closed his eyes, containing whatever shock he had going. "Well, isn't this an interesting development." He looked towards everyone else. "Well now, it looks like we've found quite the discovery here."

Maggie was wide-eyed, having big stars in her eyes from sheer awe. "Oooohh! It looks so big! Heck, it's HUGE!"

Jelldon looked just as surprised as his partner. "It's bigger than Thermosphere and Troposphere put together…"

Luke looked dead ahead with an inquired brow. To say he was perplexed could be saying it in the mildest way imaginable. 'Is that Solaris?'

Abis Omega looked at the city with just as much wonder as Luke did. 'Looks like those freaks weren't lying after all. So Riaan's here then.'

"Well it seems we've found our next destination!" Maggie chimed. "Oh, Colonel~!"

The Colonel nodded in confirmation. He moved back into his seat and began to glide his fingers along the keyboard once more. "Very well then. Everyone, our next destination lies ahead. We'll do what we can to enter the city's confines without drawing attention."

Shawn looked back in his own questioning. "And the Trailer?"

A holographic chart appeared in front of Jase, giving a 3D projection grid of the landscape. On the visual was the Trailer itself, and on the bottom were the land masses themselves that stuck out like sore thumbs. He began to dial in coordinates, seeing many zoom-in features of the mechanism to enable seeing the many spots behind visuals.

"…we'll cast ourselves afoot from when we find the Trailer's hiding spot." He answered. "Odds are that grand of a city may as well sustain an increased security. A little further perhaps and we might as well park there."

Maggie sulked forward in distress. "Aw, but that's such a big walk." She whined. "Do we really have to?"

"Never too wrong with careful now." Jase replied in a chiming voice. "Now then, I do believe we have much stuff to do with the little energy we are sustaining on."

"Very well then." Esther nodded. She took a moment to look over, seeing the look on Luke's face as he was looking more determined and excited than ever. She didn't blame him, but she didn't have a reason to prod either.

As the Trailer continued its course along the grand route they were mapping out, Luke was looking on in silence as he was ready to meet the man of whom has many questions to answer.

---

The chamber that was filled with Rogue Zero meeting the six figures from before had since been absent the whole duration of the night. There was little to worry of, considering the room was rarely visited in person. However, twelve figures teleported at the same time, with them being Rogue Zero kneeling before the six unknown figures from before.

As he looked down, the man in the Darkus circle looked down at his subordinate. "Have you come to finally reflect on your transgressions?" It was a general question, but it sounded like it was directed to Maximus for the most part. He didn't pry any further as he waited for an answer.

Maximus kept his head low, his hood up to conceal himself. "I'm well now. I've come in full progression for the next phase of our plan."

The Ventus woman looked displeased as she stared at the hooded maniac. "Take that hood off. It's disrespectful."

Maximus offered no words as he followed and pulled down the hood, revealing his own crown.

The man in the Pyrus circle looked at the man diagonally in front of him. "What do we do now?"

The unknown figure was still hard to see, but his glossy dark cape could be now seen with what a glimmering was, silverfish emblem on the back. "We proceed with Project Armagedoid. Our next phase shall begin as soon as possible. Cesar."

The Haos subordinate raised his head, hearing his name called. "Yes?"

"Have you been successful in cross transferring the data you have obtained while on New Vestroia?"

The scientist adjusted his glasses as he smirked. "Please…" he chimed with a sinister pause. "I fulfilled that wish in no time. Naturally of course I did."

The woman in the Aquos circle showed a smirk. "Huh, still overlooking your little setbacks I see. How mature." She wasn't meaning it in the slightest. She could condemn them all day like she did yesterday and not even give a remote damn about it in the end. The others could try and play coy, but she'll make sure she gets the last laugh.

"Then it looks like we're a good to go." The man in the Subterra circle said in a slight upbeat tone.

"Not quite." A familiar voice said.

It didn't come from any of the six affirmed. They were all standing there ready to get started when the voice prompted them to turn around. Much to their surprise, they saw someone taking the stairs downwards to meet them rather than teleport. His entrance from above made their heads turn towards the ceiling, where he was coming out of.

"There is still something you want me to do, is that right?" He reminded as his own cap shifted like waves. "If so, then Zion. Relay this message to everyone in the confines of the city. Make sure we get the message out."

The man in the Pyrus circle lowered his head and bowed. "Yeah, sir." In the next instance, he teleported in his circle, leaving the spot vacant.

The figure finally reached the bottom of the stairs, turning on his heels towards everyone. "There is but little time for us to prepare. We have what component we were missing. There's no need for anymore malice amongst us. Now then, everyone, look presentable. We have a show to put on."

All twelve members lowered their heads and vanished using teleportation, them too leaving the spots vacant.

With them gone, the man moved in his attire, looking about it with a discomforting look. "Hmm…still can't believe how I didn't see this as uncomfortable before. How annoying they're making me wear this."

---

"Man, this bites."

"Yes, we know. You said that like a hundred times already."

"I know, but it still sucks!"

"Ssshhhh! Keep it down or they might hear us!"

"Oh, right, right, right!"

The group of the six hitch-ons were finally able to find a secluded spot to hide their Trailer. They had to park pretty far away to keep it from being out of possible range, and that goes without say when it came to being within another alcove. They had to remain discrete and follow Jase as he guided them into the city. They reached the city confines without much trouble, but there was one problem…

"Halt!" Two armored guards posted were looking at them as they made way towards the gates. Regrettably, that was the only liable entrance. Once they caught sight of Luke and friends, there was nowhere for them to go.

Jase stepped in front to present himself. "Please, allow me." He insisted to his colleagues as he was the one to venture ahead.

Luke, however, didn't seem to be so lenient. "Wait…" He reached out to make a move, but he was grabbed by Esther. He looked at her confused as she began to explain.

"Please, let Jase handle this. He might know what he's doing."

Luke didn't seem to buy it. "But…"

"It'll be fine, Luke." Shawn's insistence was what drew attention towards him now. "Trust me, I think we should let him see what strings he can pull."

The Aquos battler wasn't liking this in the slightest. However, his friends had a valid point. He wanted to get to Master Riaan so bad, and although he would've preferred a sneakier entrance, the massive domain had a strong fort built all around it, just like Thermosphere. A break in with security would require a lot more integrity.

Jase approached the guards, who never let their spears down. The man remained vigilante as he stopped right before them.

"Identify yourselves." A guard implored.

He remained calm in spite of the deplorable tone given. "Please, let's not get hasty now. Is this the welcome we wish to see after a long journey afoot?"

The other guard prodded his javelin near his neck. "Sorry, sir. Can't let you in without verification."

Jase raised a brow. "Verification? As in where I came from?"

"Yes." The first guard said. "This is a very strict clearance, and no exceptions if we wish to keep Solaris under its fresh conduct."

The sentence through Maggie and Shuji for a loop. 'Fresh conduct?'

Jase put a hand to his chin, pondering for quite some time. "I see…" he lowered his hand to give them a serious look. "Well then, my colleagues and I came from Troposphere."

"Jase!" Luke whined at the possible ransack of their own security.

The guards took a look at each other and thought about Jase's answer. They seemed to be interested in what it was he came from. The second guard retracted his javelin and pulled out a scroller of some kind. It had what looked like a jewel in its base, which he touched to make the screen show a large-scale map. On it was a red dot, and far up northwest, there was what looked like another dot implanted right beside the land's edge.

Gathering up the distance, the first guard peered over and showed slight surprise. "I see…" he turned back towards Jase. "And how is it that you got from there?"

The question sounded hard to answer, but while the others may have it rough, Jase sure didn't. "When we were transported, our bodies were barely within range, but we were teleported regrettably due to spatial distortions. I'm sure you've heard of that."

"So then you found yourself closer here than Troposphere?" the second guard asked.

Jase nodded in confirmation. "Afraid so. Do hope we aren't trespassing."

The guards once again looked at each other and faced the humans again. They looked interested in what it was that was going on. They had no idea who they were, but they must have had a long, hard time getting here if they ended up taking that long ways.

Finally, the first guard submitted. "My condolences. I didn't realize you were part of the issued emergency evacuation cities." He said. "We heard news of Thermosphere and Troposphere, and we have issued a perimeter due to its miasma compounds while in absence."

'Miasma?' Luke questioned.

The second guard used the same scroller and held it up towards Luke and his colleagues. It was long ways so that it would scan them all. Its reading picked up on their thermal body heat signatures, showing their color, and their bacterial indicators. The scanners were going all over the place, in small squares to see what it was they were carrying, but when the scanner said "ACCEPTED", that was all they needed to know.

The guards finally backed down. "Okay, all clear."

"Thank you." Jase and his friends finally made way pass them making their way through the opening that was like a bridge arch for presentation.

As they traveled beneath and through the gates, they were finally able to see what the inside of the city looked like, and they were more than shocked at its findings.

Unlike Thermosphere, which was a solid mixture of many architectures, and Troposphere, which was like a port chrome city, this one was far more solid in stable structure. It wasn't chrome, but it wasn't old England cement either. The city was really more futuristic with many of what looked like many aerial transportations overhead, and to tehri own shock, they saw people flying Bakugan, ranging from public services, to mobile usage like riding animals on the streets. Otherwise, people looked a lot more invested all around. It looked so lively that it put Troposphere itself to shame. All round, it was hard to tell which parts of the city were practically possibly human related, but at the same time, it all looked entirely possible. There weren't any floating estates, nothing that high-tech. But the high railing and monorails connected meant something to make note of.

Maggie looked all around, her wide eyes glancing at everything around her. "Woaaah, this looks like something out of an anime." She marveled.

"Yeah, no kidding." Shuji's attention went towards the houses that were looking human-made high atop of balconies. "Man, this is nuts!"

Jase looked all around with a discerning eye of his own. "The atmosphere certainly feels a lot more vibrant than before…" His eyes narrowed once more at any means of a similarity. 'This feels very similar to the last two cities from before…but somehow this one feels vaguely different somehow. It could be the concentration of Bakugan residing here. But why is it that…?'

Shawn looked just as confused as everyone else, while at the same time holding onto delight. "Well look what we have here. It's a lot like the Bakugan back on our planet, huh Luke?"

"Yeah, I guess…" Luke was still trying to catch up on what it was he was trying to understand. He was looking around constantly to see normal-looking people who looked appropriate, and at the same time saw that they had certain attires that meant various beliefs. He even saw a variety of Bakugan as well, and the ones they were are the same ones they had on Earth.

And that was the problem.

"Wait, hold on." Maggie said. "Something feels weird."

Jelldon looked towards her. "Yeah?"

The Pyrus girl raised a brow as she looked at a Ventus Scaboid as it trekked with people on its back. Following that was what looked like a Haos Jetro that trekked with more passengers strapped to its sides. From the looks of it all, it seemed like by the way they were containing them, and by the people holding them, they were either wealthy, or presumably old people who were crippled.

"C'mon, Mommy! This way!" Running across them, an eager child was dragging his mother as she bent down to blatantly keep up. They guys watched them go on, as did a number of people that were passing by.

"Man, look at them go." Shawn said. "Why the rush anyway?"

Esther seemed awfully curious. "Not only that, but those Bakugan…" She trailed off, allowing for Shuji to pick up on it.

"Huh. You know, those look a lot like the ones that we use on Earth."

"That's because they are." Jase got everyone's attention with his cutoff. He seemed vaguely interested with all of this. "All those Bakugan we're seeing, from what I can gather, they are all presumably Gundalian and Neathian based."

Luke wasn't getting it. "So?"

"And the New Vestroia Bakugan we have seen are all atop. I think there's a reason why this is to be…but I believe it's best to wait it out to see what options there are that come up."

Fly Beetle's head followed the massive, long-necked Bakugan that was Fangoid. The large Haos Bakugan moved along with many aboard its back like transportation. Each footstep it made shuddered the land beneath, and continued its way with traffic.

"Huh?" Shuji picked up on something else. "Hey, is it me, or are they all heading somewhere?"

Esther's glance sharpened on the direction they were going. "They are. It looks like they're all converging somewhere."

"Where do you think to?" Atchibee inquired.

"Probably best that we find out for ourselves." Atmos inquired.

As intended, they all made their way onwards, making sure that they were looking around to try and find means around traffic. They had to worm their way with the crowd that was on their feet and heading towards the same direction the Bakugan were. They were making decent timing with how rushed they were. It was almost frightening with how some seemed so ecstatic. Others – like them – were just being pushed along with the crowd.

They continued marching for several minutes, being sure to remain clustered together and not break away from each other, otherwise like waves, they'd be swept and trampled. Not the pleasant way to go no less. However, in no time, they were able to get elbow room as they were seeing something up ahead.

"Hey, what's that?" Luke eagerly wondered.

Shawn narrowed his eyes, looking ahead at the structure up meters before them.

Far ahead of them was where a number of folk were passing through a tremendous arched gate. It was so exotic in nature that it looked European, if not something more of a slate and extravagant design. The walls of the gate were thick, and the massive doors were fully open for any and all who were wanting to get in.

People were filing in after a few guards at each gate was giving security clearance. After people went through, more people showed up. The ones on Bakugan were enlisted, if not willingly, to get off and revert their Bakugan to ball form, otherwise they could not enter. In any way, shape or form, the lines was so long for entry into the large estate.

When she saw it, Maggie was completely turned off. She was standing there looking like she was seeing a ridiculous cartoon show. "Are you kidding me?! I thought this was a line for something important, but it's like they're filing for a show instead."

"Must be a really good show then." Shuji chuckled. He received a serious look from everyone else when the joke found itself not so amusing.

Shawn cascaded his attention ahead. "Well, anyways, it's gonna take us forever to get inside." He watched as a Pyrus Dandos reverted to ball form and the rich couple went on inside after passing the gate. "That gate looks important, don't you think?"

Jase put a hand to his chin. "Yes, so it would seem."

"What do you mean?" Luke demanded.

"Well, why do you think the Bakugan are reverting before the gate?" Shawn inquired to the confused ones. "Maybe that's another measure. Maybe we can't brawl if we pass through the gate."

Esther nodded. "Understandable. It looks like almost all are heading into the courtyard."

All eyes went up towards the tremendous palace-like tower that went skywards. They all were surprised at how massive it was. It was way bigger in terms of height compared to the colosseums they fought in. Heck, Maggie went on her tiptoes and still couldn't see the top.

"Man, that thing is pretty big~." She chimed ever so casually.

"That's an understatement." Shawn said.

Verias popped open on his partner's shoulder. "So how do we get inside?"

Esther's brow furrowed as she looked around. There were too many people directly, and yet there was a high level of security everywhere within the court. They'd have to find a way around, and fast. Staying in one spot won't benefit them in the slightest.

S she and the others were looking around, Luke was offering to help as well. He was an expert at sneaking around after all. When his gaze went towards something that was within range something that he found quite…interesting.

He pointed at it. "Guys, up there!"

Everyone turned towards the open stairway that lead up to a second level, where a large bridge would overlook Bakugan flowing in from another avenue. With its top open and looking to be a higher ground, they found it surprising Luke found an alternative.

Without thinking, Luke dashed head first through the traffic of people, startling the flow of a few bypassing.

"Hey, Luke!" Maggie shouted. "What are you doing?!"

Esther looked on as Luke darted right for the staircase. He didn't even bother to look both ways before crossing the street. Streets smarts, to her new knowledge, was also low on his brain cells. But he did have a point. They needed to get to higher ground, and past if they wanted to get anywhere.

She took off next. "C'mon, let's get going!" She darted towards Luke, with everyone else following right behind her.

---

It took a few minutes, but Luke's darting was eventually caught up to by Esther and the others. The battlers in alliance all made way up the balconies and bridges of the cities, where they would eventually find levity in a closed dead end. The group found themselves soon against a blockade that was a wall, connected by two walls of other commodity locations.

Shuji looked up, seeing the higher ground on the top. "Uh, anybody here part ninja?" He looked around, seeing how everyone was unable to make a jump like that. "Great." Naturally he couldn't do it, but the feeling of ninjas when he said it was nostalgic for some reason. But why?

"We've gotta find a way around!" Shawn encouraged.

Luke looked left and right, hoping to find something quick they could use. As they peered around, the Aquos battler was on pins and needles as the similar feeling he had was starting to fritz. 'Master Riaan's here…I can feel it!' He was looking so desperate that his senses were practically super sharp.

And then he spotted something close by. Immediately, he darted right for it, leaving everyone else behind.

"What is it now?" Jase exclaimed irritably. He looked over as Luke made way towards a side door towards the building atop.

He and everyone watched as he closed in, pulling out his sword.

Esther's eyes widened. "Luke?"

Without a word, Luke pulled in and swung his sword against the scanner on top of the door. No code was needed, because a sword was a key itself, right in the scanner's face. The scanner was electrifying, and Luke pulled it out and plopped on his feet. He kicked the door as hard as possible and it slammed open, allowing him to bolt in desperation.

"What the heck is that crazy maniac doing now?" Fly Beetle inquired.

Esther's attention went skywards. "There must be vents or a door to the roofing. He's going to use that!"

"Quick! Everyone, follow him!" Jase was urging just as quickly as Esther. They bolted and followed Luke into the building.

The Aquos battler wasn't sure where or how he was doing any of this. He was just…doing it. He was being sharp, reflexive, and surprisingly nimble. Quick thinking was one word to sum up his condition. As he ran up the empty flight of stairs, he was hurrying as fast as possible, looking around anything that could lead upwards. Up, up, and more up.

Finding a door at the end of the hallway he was running down to get to the next floor, he found it unwilling to open. He planted a foot against it and kicked it right open once more, this time louder than the one outside. He darted up the escalating pathway towards the large door that went outside.

When he opened it, he did so brashly to find himself at the top floor. He made a straight beeline for what was the edge of the building, where there, it was several meters apart, blocked by a small trail down below, and even there, there was vacancy. But as his head went up, he found himself face to face with the wall.

Now in person, Luke could now see just how humungous it was in person. He was completely shocked at how high it was and how far up it went. It had to at least be ten more stories high. What luck.

The others finally caught up, again. This time, as they reached him, they were more out of breath than ever, and some of them were not appreciating it. Shuji was rapid in his breathing, dragging in the last of the pack. They all looked up, seeing that it was a large, long wall severing them from the court.

"Woah~…" Maggie was impressed before, but now she was just paling from slight fear. "Okay, either someone really hates people, or they really wanna keep us out."

Jase glared up the wall. "We're not quite out of options yet. There's still some things we can try." He looked over, his direction towards a certain someone else in mind. "Esther."

The Darkus girl nodded. "Understood." She looked over, seeing her Bakugan in her palm. "Atchibee."

The Bakugan was closed, looking like a caterpillar leering at her master. "It's fine. Let's do it."

With no objections, she threw Atchibee.

"Bakugan, brawl! Atchibee, stand!"

A dark glow radiated the tops of the roofs, which faded as quickly as it came. Atchibee arose from her ball form, letting out a weak hiss to not give away their position. She settled herself in and allowed Esther, Maggie, and Jase to latch onto her back. Meanwhile, Luke and Shawn had to hold onto her arms that held her massive knives. And that left the grip tail to be the skewer for Shuji.

"Hey, what the-?!" Shuji was cut up when the tail claw snipped at him, grabbing him around the hips. "Uh…!"

"Everyone hang on!" Atchibee flapped her wings, ascending high above the already massive roof toppings and doing her best to make it as gentle as possible. However, Shuji's perpetual screaming really wasn't helping her stability.

"WHY~?!" Shuji wailed as they ascended. As he was lifted like a dead body by a crane, he found his eyes watering comically as he arose so fast. He couldn't even look down; and even if he did, he wasn't sure if he wanted to.

The ascension last for a few good moments before she finally dragged them all to the very top. There, she made a full scale up and over, where on the ledge of the wall, there was a large enough space for a walkway. The moth sat her whole body down and eased up, allowing Shuji, Luke, and everyone to let go and plop to the smooth earth it was made of.

Shuji laid on the ground, gasping like fish out of water. He tried to sit up, but he was still suffering from heavy recoil. "For god's sake! What the heck is wrong with you people?!" he wailed. "Gaaaah!"

Jase adjusted his glasses by using his index finger against the bridge. "Well at least now we have a clear view of what lies ahead."

"Most certainly." Atmos said.

Shuji plopped his head against the ground, giving up so easily on whining about his issues. "Morons."

Atchibee glowed her attribute color and returned to Esther's hand. With her in possession, the young woman looked over with her allies over the wall. She and the others eventually collected themselves and gathered their strength to stand by the wall and peer downwards.

Once again, Luke was the one to show all reflecting in his green eyes.

To his, and everyone else's shock, they saw it all. They saw the massive expanse of the courtyard, where there, it looked like almost every citizen was accounted for, if not more so. From their height, they looked like ants, a whole colony; hell, the biggest they've ever seen. This was more than enough to arouse an army to attack, but that didn't matter now. What mattered was why they were here to begin with.

"Man, just look at all these people." Abis Omega marveled. "Even this crowd is bigger than the two colosseums we saw."

Maggie looked over, her brown eyes reflecting all the lights emanating the darkness of the underground. "Ooooh, man, it is true. They really do look like ants from so high up."

"That it seems." Jase agreed. "But this colony is gathered before its ruler."

Shuji finally found his ground, managing to stand before them all. "Hey, I think I see something up ahead."

"What?" Shawn looked up at the palace, where at its prestige base, he was beginning to see something as well.

"The heck is that?" Abis Omega inquired.

Esther's eyes narrowed. "Don't tell me…"

The next to raise his guard was Luke. As the crowd began to roar in cheers, the others were looking far from jovial. In fact, they looked murder-intent.

The massive doors to the palace-like tower had finally opened, revealing the first figures to appear within its bleak lighting. The six silhouettes came into view, with them filing in pairs beside one another. The crowd was clapping as they graciously introduced the six figures. Stepping out of the shadows first were Cesar and Killian, both filing separate ways to introduce the next wave of folk, which happened to be Hendrix and Ariella. Like the ones before, they went their separate ways as they stepped out of the shadows.

"Killian, and Cesar, too?" Shuji exasperated. "But then that means…"

Esther nodded in her own dread arising. "Yes…Rogue Zero."

The final ones to step out of the shadows were none other than Xander, and lastly the head of them all; the very one Luke was getting anxious from just looking at, even from the distance. His anger boiled as he saw Maximus step up with his cohort. Like the ones from before, they filed in separate ways. Cesar, Ariella, and Xander took one side, as to the other consisting of Killian, Hendrix, and finally Maximus; the orders being out to in as they stood off to the side.

"Rogue Zero!" Luke snapped. "What the heck are they doing here?!"

"This isn't good. I knew security would be a problem, but all six members accounted for was not what I had in mind." Jase admitted.

"Then what should we do?" Atchibee inquired.

Esther continued evaluating the situation with her blue eyes. She saw Rogue Zero staying quiet and humble and saw how they were positioned to be off. "Wait…what are they doing?"

The crowd and group alike watched and studied Rogue Zero as they all slowly brought one foot forward and began to kneel before the crowd. They all watched them bow and lower their heads, signaling the arrival of six figures who were filing out of the door next.

All six figures had straight faces, each sending a chill down Luke and everyone's spines upon instant eye contact.

The first figure looked to be an average tall man with a grizzly complexion. He had a bald head, but had accented tattoos on each individual lobe; left and right. He had dark eyes, furrowed brows, and a moustache and goatee combo. He adorned dark red bodily armor with hundreds of plates all over in the events of battle. His shoulder plates were slender, and at the same time rigid. On them was the same symbol that appeared on the Darkus man's cape, which was an egg with a net pattern in the middle of a basin of fire streaks that curved around either side. Behind him looked like a sturdy axe, amongst such being a few other weapons like high-powered machine guns.

The second one was a dark-skinned man who was above average height. His head was comprised of dark eyes with equally dark brows. He had slicked back dreadlocks that went down all the way to his back. For bodywear, he had on a mud brown upper body mantle-like armor over a dark underarmor that hugged his iron-toned physique, while keeping his sleeves and arms bare. His midriff was bare as well, allowing his abs to show. For a bottom half, he adorned mud brown and dark brown plates to make up a gladiator-like skirt with dark gray boots.

The next to show was a woman who looked younger, possibly around late 20s. She was average height with a rather thick, voluptuous figure that made many awe. She had light brown hair that was smooth and slicked over her shoulders to the shoulder blades on her back. She had blue eyes to compliment her supple lips. She adorned a much more laid-back work attire, comprised of a thin brown cotton mantle-like dress jacket that went all the way down to the back of her thick knees. She had on a light green shirt with no words, but on her collarbones laid a large necklace with a closed medallion with a red jewel on it. She had on also dark leggings, a more earthly attire, with glossy black heels to boot.

The next to show was another woman who was of equal height, though a little more slender than thick. She had big, golden eyes that looked at everything and everyone. She had blonde hair in a large bang that arched and went to the side, while the rest of her har was tied in a braid that went over her shoulder. She adorned a white ball gown dress with dark blue trims and bright yellow highlights everywhere. The sleeves and bottom skirt were both white, as was the midriff. On her forehead was a small string tied around with a red diamond fixed on it.

The next was yet another woman, and she was also of equal height. However, she looked considerably older to be a teen's mom. She had a less than calm look and a more serious vibe resonating from her. Like the woman before, she was slender in figure, maybe thinner. She had searing slanted brown eyes with red lipstick on. Her dark blue hair had bangs going over the right eyes, while shoulder length, it was also admittedly wavy and messy; not so much curly as one could say. The rest of her attire was a blue mantle with red triangles prodding upwards towards the shoulders, where they were bare. She had on a blue dress beneath that hugged her body like a mermaid down, though frilling by the time they reach the knees. Her nails were red, like the fixated intensity she had going.

Finally, last to show his face was the man who was in charge of them. Like Maximus, he also adorned his own crown over his bleak blue hair, but it was more of a rocky crown with two holes beside a black jewel inside its base. The glossy black cape he adorned had the same insignia the man in the red armor had, but larger and silver. He adorned a black vest with silver trimmings and six bright gray diamonds; three on each side. The sleeves were designed to match his bleak blue hair, with black netting to make it seem like it edged into the skin. On the lower half was a purple cloth with the Darkus symbol on it, which had a glossy black gleam to it over his baggy black pants that tucked into equally dark boots.

The six figures spread out and stood in front of Rogue Zero, each one standing meters before and behind their respective attribute.

Jase showed mild surprise. "This energy…"

Esther could feel it as well. When they battled Rogue Zero, they could've felt their energy levels, even from afar. Maximus himself had his own bizarre atmosphere about him. But these individuals, they were making her skin crawl, and she wasn't even within range.

"Who are these people?" Maggie questioned uneasily.

Shawn narrowed his eyes, giving them all a suspicious leer. "Whoever they are, I think we need to rethink our strategy."

Luke looked down at them with his heartrate beginning to rise. He could feel his blood rushing from this sense of dread that made his spine shrivel.

As he looked out, the crowd began simmering as the man in full red armor approached.

Silence fell amongst all.

To them all, the man looked around, giving a searing gaze as he scanned the audience. When he saw they were silenced, he began. "Solaris. A city that stans so strong, so tall…so vibrant. Even now, even if the life before you is but crumbling, there is still hope. There's never one star left out there that can never truly die. And that, is the reason this path has been taken; chosen! By the very man who sought to make the lives of this world matter!"

He sounded so punctual with emphasis. It left many in awe as he glared on.

"Some of you may have heard of him, and some may have wondered where he has been. But the man that I speak of was the one who vowed to cast out the darkness and bring light, no matter how much suffering he swore to take it upon himself. That is where we took it upon ourselves to swear ourselves to his reason. And reason is what brings together many."

On another part of the massive wall, not far from the others, a shadow streaked and landed on its concrete. As the boots landed, the red hair remained slicked back, revealing Luka as he remained on his knees, glaring down to not give himself away.

"The world before us has been changing for generations. Now, rejoice, for our savior has come home one last time, and has brought with him…our salvation!" He raised his fist high, in which the crowd began the cheering once more, this time louder than ever.

"Wonder what he's talking about?" Maggie inquired. "This 'salvation'? What's that even mean?"

The crowd was beginning to chant incoherently a name, one that was making Jase feel his spine tingle with dread. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Yeah, same here." Shawn remained tense as he glared down, his blue eyes remaining vigilant as he remained careful in observation.

Luke continued observing, hoping to find Riaan somewhere. As his eyes wandered about, he could see the man who spoke step off to the side, in front of Xander as to clear a path for someone. To him, and everyone else, they could all see a silhouette of someone slowly entering from inside the palace upfront.

His stride, his posture, even his shape made him look regal, but at the same time, the way he ventured into view was uncanny.

As he drew into limelight, the crowd boisterously cheered, while at the same time, Luke and everyone went wide-eyed in sheer shock.

Abis Omega couldn't believe it. "You've gotta be freaking kidding me!"

Atchibee was lost. "Wha…?"

Maggie was equally as perplexed. "I-Is that really…who I think it is?"

Esther's glare narrowed. She knew something was wrong, but she didn't peg it to be at this caliber. She glared cold daggers at the man who entered, whereas the citizens were cheering happily for their ruler.

Jase and Shawn both said nothing to accommodate what they were prospecting. They were at a loss with what to say, or do for that matter. But a certain someone with red hair had other plans, and he was standing up with deep shock on his face.

"Master Riaan!"

True to what he said, the man entered into view. However, unlike his attire from before, he was sporting a new attire, one that held a perplexing tone towards it. Riaan entered with silver, armored boots that went up to his knees, accompanied by dark pants that were loose fitting and held by a magenta belt with a large, long black cloth with magenta trimmings on the hips. He had a long-sleeves black top with a white line sandwiched between two thick magenta line, and at the long dark sleeves, he had magenta, ridged gauntlets with black gloves attached. His cape, however, was entirely different. It was far more pointed and went over the shoulders like a mantle, with the "teeth" being magenta. Like the Aquos woman, the shoulder were bare to see the magenta on the undershirt. The collar was extremely high to where it curved over the back of his head. The rest of the cape, however, was all black with accented magenta trimmings and highlights to make it look like refined carvings. And in the center of it all, there was that same symbol, replacing Luke's family crest.

He stood before everyone, wearing something on his head. It was a crown like Maximus and the other had, but the crown he had adorned black and purple patterned jewels that lead to a bright purple jewel in the dead center, edged in refined silver metal with tiny purple jewels inside and all around. On its top was a golden accented crown that sat above, making it look like a mountain.

A bright smile began to grow on Luke's face. He couldn't believe it, even if he tried. He was searching for a long time, and now here he was, alive and well. "Master Riaan! He's alive!" he shrieked.

"He really did make it…" Shawn trailed off, but not out of disbelief. Something more pressing was getting him anxious.

Shuji looked morally shocked. "You're kidding…"

"Well this is a new one." Fly Beetle said.

"That's an even bigger understatement." Abis Omega added.

Luke's fists were balling so tight out of happiness. He was smiling so wide that he looked like he was about to cry. He could finally get the answers he was looking for all along, and he could start right now. All he needed was to get down and…

"My fellow Interacians."

As Riaan began to speak, Luke stopped in his tracks.

"To you all, I must apologize in full compromise for my absence here from you all. I can understand that you all are very much disappointed in my turning of misconduct. It has been selfish of me, and I cannot forgive myself for allowing my life to bear losses that happened in my absence."

"'In my absence'? What…?" Luke was more confused than ever. The slanting of his eyes proved just how lost he was.

"I am sure you all have been aware of Thermosphere and Troposphere's experimentation process, and, despite how gravely the cost it has become, we have come to find a land that had brought with us purified essence." He raised his fist high. "With it, we shall begin revitalizing what has been tainted! The lives that sought to keep us from the mornings that may never come, to see to it that our bodies and souls may never see a promised land…well now it is our turn, and purge the taint right from our planet! We shall bring water back to purity, the crops that don't grow in raw sunlight see daylight for the first time…the shell that binds us from the daylight world, no matter much it crumbles atop…" he reached out to everyone, a deep, promising frown on his face. "As long as I am alive, Interacia shall forever will on! All I ask, is for you to beside me to see the new era that is to come!"

The crowd boisterously cheered in sheer happiness. They all were sounding so willing to agree with him, as he has been for a long time now. They were all clapping and raising their fists as well, a beacon as he was to some, if not all.

Luka looked down at the scene, his anger beginning to boil over. His teeth gritted as he seethed daggers at him. "That liar…!" he whispered coldly.

Luke was looking confused to where he was frightened. He saw Riaan declaring himself salvation, but he wasn't understanding at all. As he looked over, he could see everyone else horrified, if not conspicuous of him. But for him, he was looking more and more uneasy.

"M-Master Riaan…?"

"As the loyalist of this land that we live on, I – your lord – shall offer nothing more than the salvation of a revolution!" His bold declaration was what made them all cheer even louder, almost to where it was deafening for everyone. "With the places that I have been to, the suffering of this world we endure…will be a distant memory!"

Luka angrily scowled from his point on the wall, as to where everyone else was seeing to it with their own eyes of his identity. They couldn't even fathom it, and yet here he was, making a world literally crumble around have one beacon that was to forever change everything around them. However, Luke's eyes were small green orbs that were dilating, his inner thoughts screaming for disbelief. But the face he was seeing was truly Riaan's, and yet at the same time, it wasn't.

"Master Riaan…" he trailed off, seeing the frown of his master casting towards the people than himself.

---

Here's the first chapter to the new arc that I made, the Interacia Arc. Yeah, it's cheesy for a planet name, but the reason will come by later. Hope you all enjoyed and leave reviews!