We first join with the group accompanying Celica as they cross the vast grasslands of Zofia as they head for Mila's temple.
"Listen, Celica, about that whole argument with Alm… it didn't go to well i know, but wasn't it a bit harsh? You two were friends as kids." Connor said.
"I will not stand by as senseless war goes on in my presence." Celica said.
"I know that, but…" Connor said.
"Connor, maybe just let her think to herself right now." Betty said.
"Good point." Connor said.
"Still, you gotta wonder where Celica will go from here. We are going to Mila's temple, but what then?" Skull asked.
"Guess we'll find out when we get there." Jack said before they saw a commotion nearby. "Though that may have to wait."
They looked at the harbor where they saw two pegasus knights being surrounded by several bandits.
"So...you're more of Grieth's men." the one with green hair said.
"Yeah. A couple o' foreigners like you oughta fetch a pretty penny." one of them said as the bandits were laughing.
"Let's give the pegasus knights a hand." Al said.
"Yes. Agreed." Iida said as the heroes headed into the battle.
"Azura, let's sing a duet." Ace said to Azura.
"Very well Ace." Azura said as both her and Ace's pendants started to glow.
"~Sing with me a song of Conquest and Fate the black pillar cracks beneath its weight~" Both Ace and Azura sang in sync as a wave of water and ice blew a couple of the bandits away.
"That never gets old…" Connor said firing a couple shots at the bandits nearby.
"Hey! Keep away!" Jexi shouted at the leader. "Ultimate Color...Fist!" he shouted socking the guy with a aura coated fist.
"Nice one!" Ace shouted firing a Diamond Dust Arrow freezing a couple of Bandits.
"Reciprio...Burst!" Iida said ramming into a few of them.
"Bull Thrust!" Asta shouted cutting some down.
"Go, Carmen!" Panther said as Carmen fired upon the soldiers.
"Get the ones with no weapons!" one of them said as they charged at Connor's group.
"Bad choice, gentlemen." Mustang said snapping his fingers as they were consumed by flames.
"Bad choice indeed." Morph said enlarging her hands and swatting the bandits and slamming them to the ground.
"Cold Block!" Al shouted firing four spheres of ice at the bandits.
"Witch...Hunter!" Maka said swinging Soul at them.
It wasn't long before the soldiers were all wiped out as the pegasus knights remained.
"We thank you warriors. My name is Palla and this is my sister Catria.' the green haired one said.
"So what did they mean by...foreigners?" Eijiro asked.
"We are not from this land. We hail from the kingdom of Macedon in Archanea." Palla said.
"So you're from the outrealms?" Reflet asked.
"For someone in your world, yes." Catria said. "We serve Princess Minerva of Macedon, she who once fought alongside the great king Marth himself."
"Marth? Well this is a coincidence...we're actually friends with Marth." Jexi said.
"You once fought alongside Lord Marth?" Palla said.
"Yeah. Its kinda a long story." Wendy said.
"Then we must implore you for your help." Catria said.
"Our sister, Est, she was captured by a pirate known as Greith. We were going after them but we lost them." Palla said.
"Well, if we follow the trail, I'm certain we'll find the pirates lair along the way." Jexi said. "But for safety, we recommend you travel with us."
"Very well. We shall keep you company." Catria said.
"Great. Then you can tell us about Marth and what he's like." Rainbow said as they continued on.
"You did good out there Ace. Normally its Hope or David that take a lot of the work." Jexi said.
"Thank you. I always help my friends shoulder their burden. I'll always help as much as I can." Ace said smiling.
"Eh. I've never really known that feeling much. I've usually been able to handle most of what life throws on me on my own since I was a kid." Jexi said.
"You don't always have to handle things on your own all the time. That's why you have your team and us. To help support you every step of the way." Ace said as he put a hand on Jexi's shoulder.
"I know. The reason I started this team...was cause I was lonely and wanted friends." Jexi said.
"Same as me. The only person I had left was my brother. It seems you and I have more things in common than we thought." Ace said.
"Yeah. I had two brothers who showed me the way to a lot of stuff. Though they're the only ones I've never been able to beat. But that's gonna change one day." Jexi said.
"Yeah and I formed my team to help protect the worlds and find my brother. I always see my teammates as my family after we first met." Ace said.
"Let's both make sure those dreams come true." Jexi said as their pendants glowed at the same time.
Meanwhile with the Deliverance, they had marched through the land as they headed for a forest village. But on the way, they were cut off by forces of Rigel, some familiar.
"Fernand!" Clive said.
"And the guy before him. Who is he?" Hope asked.
"I am Berkut, nephew to his majesty of Rigel." the man said.
"This is how you wish to retain Zofia's ideals? By betraying them?!" David asked.
"It was by chance that I would be under Berkut. He recognizes my ideals." Fernand said.
"And I've gone too long without battle and seek some sport." Berkut said as he charged at Alm.
"Alm, incoming!" David said as Berkut clashed with Alm before noticing the mark on his hand.
"That mark. No. It can't be the Brand. Not on inferior stock like him. Just a false mark." Berkut said as his soldiers followed to his side.
"Hey, you don't get a say in that party. Its invite only." Ty said kicking a soldier in the face. "But we'd be happy to entertain you." Ty said before he was hit with a paralyzing shot.
"Ty!" Hope said before they saw on a hill several thugs in cyber looking armor. "Ah nuts. These guys."
"Remember, we only deliver the blue twerp to the boss. Spare no one!" One of them said as they charged.
"Cypher Punks." Hope said.
"Of course they would be here." Abby said. "Though why after you? I recall you doing nothing to them."
"Um… beats me." Hope said.
"But wasn't Odd the one who fought them, though?" Mayumi asked.
"He fought some of them...after we messed them up in two others." Hope said.
"We heard that you were in our universe, but by the time we got to the space station, you guys were already long gone." one of them said.
"We'll be going for those nerds in the Dimensional Heroes later. Right now, we wanna deal with the one who pissed us off most. And since you're the lone one from your group, it was a pretty logical choice." another said.
"More like a personal one." Hope said.
"Yeah. We're getting revenge for what he did to Nail." one of them said.
"Nail? So I'm guessing you guys are named after machine parts?" Jesse asked.
"The Future Universe is more technologically advanced. Comes with the territory." one of them said.
"Look. I didn't beat up Nail, Odd did." Hope said.
"We're not talking about that. We're talking about how you came and chopped her arm off when she was alone." one of them said.
"What?!" Hope said.
"Enough talk! Blast them!" one of them said as they and Berkut's men charged.
"We have an all out battle on our hands. Don't lose your cool." Gray said.
"Agreed. Prepare for battle!" Alm said.
And so Berkut's men and the Cyber Punks charged the group as Alm and Berkut clashed swords.
"I didn't mutilate Nail's arm, you got me all confused with somebody else! But if you're not gonna listen to me…!" Hope said. "Spectral Lighting!"
He blasted the grunt with electricity, knocking most of them out.
"You guys wear metal armor. That's not exactly a good move with electricity." Hope said.
"Uh...what about the non-armor ones?" Leanne asked as some did not wear armor but strange packs with pylons on them.
"Lightning boxes. Not good." Abby said.
"Okay…. Maybe we should try something else then." Hope said.
"No, you don't understand. They're charged with your electricity and now…" Abby said as bolts were randomly firing at them. "They're firing back ten fold!"
"Yow! Now you tell me!" Hope said.
"What did you think they'd be packing?" Mayumi asked.
"It won't matter much longer." Aqua said. "Thundaga!" she shouted as powerful lighting struck them and overpowered their boxes.
"Okay...we did not think that would happen." one of them said.
"Never underestimate magic." Himiko said.
"Nice job, Aqua. Now, let's get the rest of these guys." David said.
"Fernand is already locked on to Clive, and Alm is in the middle of his duel with Berkut." Takeshi said.
"Let's make sure no one else butts in on them." Zexi said as they battled against the soldiers leaving Clive and Alm to their own battles.
"Like me?" A mysterious voice said as a fireball was heading towards them revealing itself as Cinder.
"Cinder!" David said.
"Haven't you had enough? Ace isn't here, and Ultratech threw everything at us. If you'd have any sense, you'd go back home." Damien said.
"Sorry, but I've still got my orders. Now you're gonna tell me where the brat is or we can do this the hard way." Cinder said producing plasma from his hand.
"Are you people obsessed with the guy or something?" David said.
"No need to waste energy on this fly. I'll go shoo him away." Escanor said approaching Cinder.
"I would not wanna be you today." Cinder said as metal covered his face and he charged at Escanor in a flaming corkscrew.
"Oh. So he's a flaming screw. I best put him in his place than." Escanor said raising his axe. As Cinder got close, the axe hit him as the metal easily cracked and sent Cinder flying, screwing him into a mountain side.
"There he goes again." Zelos said.
"What is with these Ultratech idiots? Don't they realize we outmatch them?" Sting asked.
"Damn it, I've had enough of this! You've proven your point kiddies." Cinder said. "I'll leave the kid alone. Oh! And give him a message for me. Tell him we'll have a friendly rematch anytime, no powers involved." He said as he warped away.
"Yeah, run! Run like the coward you are!" Damien said.
"If there's anything to say about Ultratech, they've got convictions. Wonder what they want with Ace?" Vashyron wondered.
"I think it's something they'll only mention to him. Maybe something related to this Gargos." Mayumi said.
"Possibly." Aqua said. "All we can do for now is keep them off our backs."
It wasn't long before the fighting had stopped as someone from the forest village came to join the deliverance, a mage known as Luthier.
"So...where are we going anyway? You never exactly told us?" Hope asked.
"Desaix's fortress to flush the coward out." Clive said. "And to save someone important to the Deliverance."
"I see. Well, there's not a moment to lose, then." Kenshin said.
"Indeed. We head out now." Clive said.