Mega Man X: The Mist Enigma

Chapter 26: Never Admit Defeat

The arm at Isoc's side changed from deep purple to Zero's cherry red. Its fingers sprouted green translucent claws akin to the Z-Saber. Layer suddenly stopped sobbing and fell out of her seat. Alia quickly caught her and Pallette rushed over to them. "Is she alright?"

"Yeah," Alia said, "she just fainted." She then slowly laid Layer down on the ground. "That shock was way too much for her. Let's let her rest." Pallette silently agreed and returned to her post. Alia continued to kneel at Layer's side, fanning her hand to cool her down.

X and Axl's eyes widened in fear as Zero's body fell to the ground. "Zero!!!" X shouted as he ran to it. He picked the body up by the shoulders and shook it. "Zero! Zero!!!" He suddenly dropped his best friends' body and turned to Isoc. His face was immensely cross. "You will pay!!!" X leapt to the air in preparation of a Nova Strike.

"Wait X!" Axl cried with hand out. "Don't be so reckless! There's no telling what this guy will do!" Ignoring Axl's warning, the Nova Strike rocketed to Isoc, X shouting at the top of his lungs. The Zero arm rose with hand open as to catch X. X hit the palm, continuing to flare with energy, as if trying to push through it. The hand thrust forward, knocking X out of the Nova Strike. The Z-Saber claws extended and slashed at X's airborne body. X screamed in pain as he was sent flying to the opposite edge of the arena.

Axl looked at his superior, wincing at the various cuts across his metallic body. "I didn't want to have to do this," he thought aloud. "Guess I don't have a choice now," he boomed to Isoc as his body began to glow orange.

Pallette was confused. "He's going to transform? But into what?" No one answered her question, as no one knew what to expect.

"Transform!" Axl called as his form began to change shape. His wings disappeared and his body grew longer. The form slowly began to look familiar, as his body became a floating mass of black metal shards, his head grew long horns, and a large blade appeared in his hand.

"Is he?" I started. "When did he acquire HIS DNA?"

Axl had transformed into Sigma. Specifically, the Belial form Sigma took when he was defeated last. In Sigma's gruff villainous voice he shouted to Isoc, "Time to show just what a New Generation Reploid can really do!" He dashed to Isoc and swung his Sigma Blade. The left arm blocked the blade, then thrust to knock Axl down. Axl held the blade out as it connected with the arm. Neither force budged more than an inch. After a short standoff, Axl disappeared and reappeared high above Isoc, much like Sigma used to. He quickly began his descent, blade ready. "Burn in hell!"

I got out of my seat. "No you idiot! He'll take you too!" Signas and the Navigators shouted "What!?" I hastily explained. "It's the same thing Zero tried, and we all saw how well that worked."

As Axl was about to slice Isoc's head in two, Isoc held out his left arm, stabbing Axl in the stomach. Isoc grinned maliciously. "I don't know how you acquired Sigma's DNA, but it sure makes things interesting." Axl choked as Isoc continued. "Zero's power is more than enough to defeat Mega Man X. But combine that with the power of Sigma!" Isoc laughed maniacally as he started absorbing Axl's soul. "I will be invincible!"

X woke up to see this vicious sight. His eyes widened again. "What in the name of God is..." he gawked. After realizing whose soul Isoc was absorbing, he said in disbelief, "Axl?"

The arm at Isoc's left side began changing as the right did. Instead of a Zero motif, this arm became the metal shards that were Sigma's body. Isoc continued laughing. "Oh ho ho! This power is unbelievable! To think a prototype could produce this!"

X shook his fist and slammed it on the ground. "You fiend! Using my comrades, my friends to further your strength! Now you've gone way too far!"

Isoc stopped laughing. "Why don't you understand yet? This is merely using the devil's tools to do the Lord's work, Mega Man X! And now all that stands in the path of a new perfect world is you. I hope you realize that victory is impossible."

"No," X grumbled as he stood up. "As long as I have to will to fight, I'll never admit defeat! I'll stop you and get Zero and Axl back!"

Both huge arms punched at X's sides, trapping him. He coughed up spit. The arms brought X closer to Isoc. "Never knowing when to give up," Isoc grunted. "Trying to achieve a Hippocratic goal. Fight to bring about peace. Your sense of justice has blinded you!" The fists crushed X even more. X cried in agony.

"Admit defeat! You can no longer achieve your ridiculous goal! Perish, and let the world begin anew!" The fists tossed X into the air slightly and drew away. As X descended, the fists enveloped themselves in ENS and punched at X again. This time however, the result was a blinding explosion. X's eyes whited out, his helmet now smashed off his head, revealing his unkempt brown hair, his arms bent the wrong way.

The fists drew away again, letting X fall limply to the ground. All of us at Base gasped in utter shock. "No! X!!!" Pallette and Alia cried.

Signas smashed his hand on his desk hard. "Damn!" He sighed with frustration and lowered his head. "It's all over."

My face was in a trance staring at the monitor. "Is it?" I thought. "Is it really over? If only I could help." My eyes widened. "Should I? Should I interfere?"

"Don't think like that!" a voice called in my head. It was Misty's. "I know what you're getting at. Sacrifice yourself to save millions. It's noble, Chris, but don't count your chickens."

"Are you serious?" I shouted in my head. "I'm the only one left who can stop this! I'm going to..."

"No Chris! Don't play the hero! You're forgetting who's out there. Mega Man X. Limitless potential. He's not out for the count yet. X has made a miracle or two happen in the past."

I lifted my head. "Yeah, I see what you mean. X can do this." Aloud, "He can do this. X isn't dead yet." The three looked at me in utter confusion. I couldn't believe I hadn't realized this before. I owe Misty big time. "X has more power than any of us could imagine. And he has a trump card he's yet to play."