Chad just saw white.
For several seconds, he saw Anna, Roll, Richard and Chaos, within Unicron, as the place was vibrating like crazy. He just stared at Richard, and the person seemed annoyed. but now, just white.
He was sitting there within this void.
It felt familiar.
He was hoping Chaos hadn't done it again, trapped him in this time void that made him skip 2 years like before.
He felt confused as he looked at himself though. He was beaten down by Chaos pretty badly, yet he didn't feel bruised, or in any pain. He stood up just fine and felt the parts of him that were clearly bruised, yet no pain signals went to his mind. "…The fuck is going on?"
"YOU MADE A DECISION."
That came from behind him. He spun around, and there standing before him, was a skeleton, within a pitch-black robe on the outside and purple within, with a hood, and two blue glows coming out of his eye sockets…and carrying a scythe. "Oh. Oh crap, you must be…"
"DEATH."
"Am I dead then?"
"IN A SENSE. YOU AND THOSE YOU KNOW ARE DEAD." Death explained.
Chad didn't like the sound of that at all. "How? How did it happen? Why?"
"PUT IT SIMPLY, YOU CHOSE POORLY. LOOKING TO RICHARD WAS NOT THE BEST DECISION."
"What?"
"YOU HAD A MOMENT IN TIME WHERE YOU HAD TO DECIDE WHAT COMES NEXT. YOU LOOKED AT THE ONE PERSON WHO WAS AN OUTSIDE EFFECT. A BAD CHOICE."
"Okay…so…Can I go back?"
"TO THE PLACE? CYBERTRON?"
"Yes?"
"IF YOU WISH. YOU WON'T LIKE IT THOUGH. IF YOU WANT TO SEE ME, JUST TURN THIS OVER." He reached into his robe and pulled out an hourglass with "Chad Oswald U3" written in gold at the bottom of it…where all the sand was laying. There was none in the top.
Before Chad knew it, the white void was gone.
He was back on Cybertron.
Wait…
He looked around and noticed something.
Unicron's head was gone. So were the people in black armor and with the airships, they were all gone.
"…" He looked to the hourglass, and found it getting smaller, now easily able to go into his pockets. He placed it away and decided to get the com-link out. This was quickly getting freaky. "Hey docs. What's going on? What happened to Unicron?"
There was nothing but static.
"Docs? Roll? Anna? Darkmega? Quickman? ...Anyone at all?"
No answer. Chad shut it off for a moment. "Okay, lack of answers probably means something is up with the system, no biggie…better try out, Rufus." He sighed, boy he didn't want to, but there was little choice.
He turned the com-link back on. "Rufus? Rufus Shinra? Of Gaia VII?"
There were several beeps, before he got an answer. "Rufus Shinra here. Who is this?"
"Hey, it's Chad Oswald. Listen I need you to get in contact with Dr Wily for me, I can't seem to raise him."
"…Who?"
"Dr Albert Wily?"
"…I have no idea who that is or who you are." With that, Rufus disconnected the call.
That got Chad worried even more. "Okay Chad, don't freak. Rufus doesn't know Wily, Wily isn't answering, hell, no one is answering. Unicron is gone, and this planet looks dead…"
"That's because no one lives here anymore."
That came from right besides Chad, making him nearly leap out of his skin as he turned to look.
Zuo Ci was there, looking…unusually concerned at Chad. "You're alive?"
"Excuse me?" Chad wasn't expecting that kind've question. "Well of course I am."
"But…everyone else from the Hero Base is gone."
"Gone how?"
"It's, hard to explain…Something happened inside Unicron's head." Zuo Ci motioned over to the open landscape in front of them. "A time distortion of a magnitude that I haven't seen occur before, nor produce such damaging results."
"Damaging?"
"Yes Chad. Thanks to it, Time had to correct itself and eject those that are connected to the incident…that included you, Roll, Anna…everyone of the base. They were completely erased from the timeline."
Chad was stunned. Was he serious? "Zuo CI…you mean misplaced right? They can't be erased. I'm still here for one."
"No Chad, they are gone. No souls, no trace of their existence. As far as the timeline is now concerned, none of what you did even happened. Unicron is dead…I…I mean, asleep." He shook his head a little. "Forgive me. When the timeline suffers this level of damage, the new current timeline is overlapping the old events in my mind. Eventually the old ones will be gone."
"Well we gotta get everyone back Zuo Ci! That's Anna we're talking about! Anna, Wily, Roll, Darkmega, we gotta get them all back! How do we do it?!"
"We can't."
Chad was feeling lost within that moment. "Bu…but you're a deity. Can't you do anything?"
"I'm sorry Chad. But they have been removed by a power beyond me. I am surprised you exist still though. The new memories don't have you around at all…when was our first encounter?"
"You're joking me, right? It was…was…" Chad was ready to point it out, but paused.
He couldn't remember.
Zuo Ci noticed this sudden look of confusion to Chad. "You appear to be adapting now as well. Obviously being in this place and timeline is forcing you to take in the current set of events."
"What!?"
Zuo Ci tried to reassure him. "It is okay Chad. As you belong in this timeline now, you are being made to remember this line of events. Perhaps it is for the best, since those of the old timeline will soon be forgotten entirely. All mortals have forgotten besides you."
Chad tried to think hard, to recall anything from the past.
But to his horror, he could feel the memories die, one by one, rapidly. He was now only barely remembering Mobius, his home world. "We gotta head to my home! Mobius! Zuo Ci take me there! Please!"
Zuo Ci complied. With a click of his fingers, both he and Chad appeared at Station Square, close to the beach.
Chad looked around, he only just felt his been here before. "I, I know this location, I know this place…I think…Zuo Ci what's going on? Why is everything in my head just…going away?"
"You…don't exist in this timeline Chad, you shouldn't, as I said before." He placed his hand on Chad's shoulder. "Those old timeline memories…your whole existence, is ceasing to be."
"No…no…please, I want to remember." Chad knew he was right, Zuo Ci was right…He felt tears forming at the fear of losing everything he cared about and forgetting it all.
Zuo Ci slowly walked Chad over to the sandy beach, and made him sit down, before joining him. "I have never experienced someone who is not a deity go through a memory change before, especially someone who is not supposed to be here…Do not fear, I will not leave you."
"T-Thank you…" Chad just stared out at the sea, trying to cling onto the memories of Anna, Darkmega, Quickman, Roll, Richard…Those other people he was sure lived at the base with them.
The sun slowly came down.
With each minute passing, another bunch of memories vanished. Chad now could not remember why he was on Earth X, or his home planet.
He closed his eyes, imagining those he knew except this…stranger who was sitting with him, Zuo Ci. He pictured them standing before him, which, was getting less and less…he could visibly see them fade away, and the moment they vanished, he forgot them.
By the time the sun was at the horizon, all he had was one person he knew, and two strange people in his mind. Anna, a pink and black wearing girl, and a red and gold suited man…who soon vanished, whoever that was.
He focused on…the brown-haired girl the most, she was the most important. He lost the other girl, she was gone.
Who was she? How did he know her? He felt she was once close to him but…but now her image was fading away, that smile she had on her face. The times they hugged, when he told her he loved her…
…
…Chad stared blankly ahead.
Why was he crying?
He wiped the tears off, looking confused towards Zuo Ci. "Hey…old man?"
"Hm?" Zuo Ci looked at him. "Ah yes…Chad wasn't it?"
Chad nodded.
"I'm Zuo Ci. You were losing your old memories, weren't you? The old timeline?"
"Yeah…yeah, I was, wasn't I?"
"I take it they are gone?"
"I can't remember anything…anything but the strange place we were at, me asking you about…people called Anna, Roll, Wily…"
"Who are they?" Zuo Ci was curious.
"I don't know. I honestly don't." Chad stood up, looking around. "Where are we Zuo Ci?"
Zuo Ci turned around to look at the city. "This is Station Square on the planet Mobius." He then glanced down at Chad. "Tell me, do you recall why I came with you? I am a deity, and I believe I am supposed to be watching over Earth V."
"Earth V?"
"Yes. It's a planet amid a rebellion. A group known as the Five Rice Sect Cult led by Zhang Lu has gone into a war with the Han empire there. I was told to watch over a man named Ma Teng…ah yes, we mentioned Unicron at one point."
"Unicron? What is that?"
Zuo Ci shook his head. "Don't you worry about it. It is a planet that is also a machine. But thankfully, it is asleep, having not been disturbed for over 3 million years."
"Oh…That's good then." Chad looked at the city himself. "…That place we were before, what was—"
"Cybertron. Another machine world."
"Is that where I live?"
"No. I don't think so. Nothing lives there after the machines, the cybertronians, were sent to work across the Galactic Federation, the people that this world is now colonised by…Why don't we walk together for a time. It may help clear your mind and just maybe, you might gain memories of your youth. Perhaps the timeline will alter to adapt to your existence."
It didn't.
The more Chad ventured around with Zuo Ci, learning about how Mobians have mostly moved off this world onto others, leaving it in the hands of human colonists, how the Galactic Federation is ran by a man named Armstrong Houston, and how only recently the idea of digital beings known as Net Navi's are coming into being…
None of it meant a thing to Chad.
Zuo Ci wanted to move on, not having a clue where else they could go for Chad to learn and try and jump start his memory of this timeline. But he couldn't leave him. He knew this person was lost, and Ma Teng wasn't going anywhere.
But once the clocks of Mobius struck midnight, Zuo Ci felt a tinge of fear.
He knew why. His soul told him.
This Universe was soon to be doomed.
Chad had fallen asleep besides him as they sat on a rooftop, still trying to figure out where Chad could fit in…by the time the sun rose, Zuo Ci felt the approach of death, the rapid clicking, the sound of saw blades spinning almost.
It was terrifying sound, but he embraced it as Chad woke up, yawning and standing to look over at the sun. "Hey Zuo Ci…sorry about that. I just felt suddenly tired and…you alright?"
Zuo Ci looked at him, smiling a little. "You will soon no longer have to worry Chad. Stay here and wait. They are coming."
There was a faint, far off distant sound. The sound Zuo Ci had been hearing.
Chad could just pick it up. And it was unnerving him. "Hey, Zuo Ci, can you hear that?"
Chad was sure it was getting a little louder now.
"Yes, I can." Zuo Ci looked around carefully, walking a little ahead of Chad, as if trying to pinpoint where it's coming from, before he came to a stop and lowered his head. "This means this Universe is at an end."
"Wait what?!"
"…Langoliers." Zuo Ci stood up. "They are the ones who feed off Universes which are dead, no longer serving a purpose, no longer stabilized by the main universes. They seem to be homing in on this world to begin the erasure."
"Why, Why would they?"
It didn't take Zuo Ci long to figure it out. "A dead universe that also carries something beyond it that is also dead…" He faced turned grim. "You, Chad. You have made them curious. They will come for you to consume you."
There were screams of terror from inside the city, more and more as the seconds went by.
"Then I need to get away! Take me somewhere! Another world!"
Zuo Ci just shook his head. "There is no point. They will catch you. They will catch as all. We are nothing now Chad. Accept it."
Chad saw them, in the distance.
They looked like round balls of darkened flesh, whizzing around, seemingly tearing through buildings with no difficultly whatsoever. Any people they encountered and flew down at, vanished. Their screams fall instantly silent.
What got to him were their mouths, three sets of whirling rapidly changing silver looking teeth that never seemed to stop, and beyond those…nothing, an empty void.
And nothing was stopping them as they moved closer and closer.
Chad saw several soon arrive at the building he was on and vanish into it. He quickly looked around for a weapon or a way off this place.
It didn't matter.
One of the creatures suddenly shot up beneath Zuo Ci.
He was gone in a moment.
It turned towards Chad, as did three others that suddenly flew out of holes they formed in the rooftop, their jagged teeth glinted in the sunlight.
Chad fell back onto the ground, shaking in the fear as the beings floated there for a moment, as if unsure as to what Chad exactly was.
Something had fallen out of Chad's pocket, clinking on the ground before stopping. The mobian briefly glanced over and checked.
An hourglass with sand starting to run down it.
He heard the buzzing, clicking sound get closer and focused back on the Langoliers.
But they stopped approaching once the sand was running, they seemed focused on what was behind Chad, they mouths opening and closing rapidly whilst moving back little by little.
"I TOLD YOU THAT YOU WOULDN'T LIKE IT."
Chad wanted to look at whatever was behind him that said that, but all he then heard was a snapping of two bone fingers, then nothing. He fell to the floor, out for the count.
Death meanwhile, had picked up the hourglass, putting it away before pointing his scythe over to the Langoliers, who continued to back off. "YOU HAVE A WHOLE UNIVERSE TO CONSUME. THIS IS MINE."
The creatures didn't seem to want to argue. They were gone.
"So, why is the boy here?"
"WHY NOT? WE DON'T HAVE MANY VISITORS ALBERT."
"That's not the point sir. My issue is the fact you've stopped the Multiverse for him all because of a…of a…"
"COLLAPSED TIMESTREAM ALBERT."
"Exactly! Just erase him and be done with it."
Chad starting to stir. He could hear them, as well as the sound of a ticking grandfather clock…
And the smell of bacon.
"HE HAS A ROLE IN THIS THAT IS HARD TO IGNORE ALBERT. HE MIGHT BE THE ONE WHO CAN DEAL WITH SOME OF THOSE WHO TRY TO ESCAPE ME."
"Those twenty idiots you mean."
"TWELVE ALBERT. TWO OF THEM INTENDED FOR WHAT THEY BECAME, SIX ACCEPTED WILLINGLY TO CHASE THE TWO. THE OTHERS WERE UNFORTUNATE BUT ARE NOW TOO DEEP INTO WHAT THEY'VE BECOME."
"Well you know there are others besides them sir. All kinds of others who try and cheat you. There's a whole Universe."
"BUT I CAN WATCH THEM FROM AFAR. THE POWER THERE IS IN SYNC WITH THAT UNIVERSE. WHEN THEY ARE IN ANY OF THE OTHERS IT IS NOT. THOSE ONES I CAN'T. CORRUPTION, I THINK IT'S CALLED. ONE OF MY PENPALS-"
"Please don't call them that."
"—SAID WHAT THEY CAN DO IS SIMILAR TO SOMETHING CALLED CORRUPTION IN HIS DOMAIN."
Chad finally opened his eyes.
He found himself laying flat on his back, looking up at a pitch-black ceiling.
He was in a blackened hallway, painted in, to his surprise, different shades of black and grey…or what he perceived as grey. There were beautiful windows with black curtains tied up to the side of them, showing the outside a black starry void seemingly.
He saw the clock near one end of the hallway, with a swinging guillotine blade as a weight, and the clock itself…had no hands on it.
It was actually a sundial, that was in place of the clock part, and there was a small shadow off it, showing what would be, a casting over 8 o'clock.
There were several doorways, all with pitch black doors, and a stairwell which lead upstairs to more rooms, almost the same. Only three doors stood out in this place. One with a diamond human skull on it. One that had a brown 'Welcome' mat in front of it, and one door upstairs was a dark pink instead of black.
Chad then noticed Dr Wily looking down at him. Except this one had brown tunic and trousers on, looking a little matted, and black shoes…it took him a moment to recall the name. "…Dr Wily?"
Then Death was looking down at him. "EMPEROR ALBERT WILY OF CASUNTENA ACTUALLY. BUT THAT WAS IN THE 6th CYCLE…CYCLE 5 TO YOU. HE IS MY SERVANT."
Albert frowned a little. "I thought we agreed on 'companion'."
"I SAID ONLY ON WEEKDAYS."
"There are no 'weeks' or 'days' here you bag of bones!"
"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT BEFORE AGREEING WITH ME ALBERT."
Chad stood up, memories of his life flooded back like a sudden tidal wave. He shook his head, seemingly staring down the hallway for a few minutes.
Albert looked over Chad, then at Death. "What's the matter with him?"
"TOTAL RECALL. IT CAN CRASH A MIND LIKE HIS FOR A MOMENT. HE'LL SNAP BACK."
Chad did so soon enough, blinking and taking a step back, feeling as if he had woken up from a dream. "Whoa, what in the goddamn just happened? Where's Zuo Ci? Those beasts? Where the hell am—" He looked to Death and Albert. "—oh."
"YOU WERE REFERRING TO THE LANGOLIERS, CORRECT?" Death asked.
Chad nodded.
"THEY WON'T COME TO MAIN-TIED UNIVERSES."
"What? Main-tied?"
"MAIN UNIVERSES OF A TIMELINE, OF THIS MULTIVERSE. THEY ONLY CONSUME DEAD ALTERNATE, MIRROR, PARALLELS AND QUANTUM UNIVERSES. NASTY CREATURES. THEY THRIVE IN THIS PATCH OF THE OMNIVERSE."
"So why don't they attack here?"
"I TAKE IT YOU SAW THEIR REACTION TO WHEN I ARRIVED?" A burning dark blue flame appeared in his hand as he stretched it out, and suddenly within it, formed his scythe. "THEY ARE LIVING CREATURES TOO, LIKE YOU. THEY FEAR DEATH."
Chad recalled them moving back when he heard Death's voice…then remembered the hourglass. "Wait, you said you only come when—"
"YOU TURNED IT. BY THE WILL OF THE UNIVERSE IT WAS TURNED TO SPARE YOU AS THE LANGOLIERS MOVED IN…WELL AT LEAST YOU CAN ASSUME THAT. IT COULD BE YOU WERE PETRIFIED OUT OF YOUR WITS AND IT JUST FELL OUT." He turned away. "NOW COME ALONG. WE NEED TO TALK. ALBERT PLEASE SEE TO THE BACON."
"Of course, sir." With that, Albert left them alone, whilst Chad slowly followed the grim reaper.
"Death? …Is there, I mean, was there a future already in place before all this?"
"HM?" Death turned to look at him as they got close to the one door with a silver skull. "YOU MEAN BEFORE THE ISSUE? OF COURSE. I CAN SEE THE OUTLINES OF THINGS TO BE. YOUR BASE ON EARTH X WAS DUE FOR A DECENT SIZED SWIMMING POOL IN SIX MONTHS. AT LEAST YOUR DR WILY AND LIGHT THOUGHT OF IT THIS TIME."
Chad frowned a little. "My Dr Light and Wily?"
"YES. THERE ARE OTHERS. THE CLOSEST I CAN RELATE TO YOURS WOULD BE UNIVERSE 2."
"So, what happened there that is like ours that you can relate to so much?"
Death leaned over him. His eye sockets emitting a blue haughty glow. "FOR STARTERS YOU AND THAT UNIVERSE YOU LAYERED ME WITH QUESTIONS WHENEVER I APPEARED."
Then he turned and continued walking on, as the black grandfather clock nearby continue to tick on, opening the door. "SECOND YOU HAVE A HERO BASE. THIRD THE PEOPLE YOU KNOW AND WHAT POSITION YOU'RE IN. UNIVERSE 2 AND 3 WERE MADE TO BE SIMILER BY AZRAEL. LACK OF IMAGINATION THERE. UNIVERSE 1 AND 4 WERE SUPPOSED TO DO THE SAME, BE SIMILER TO ONE ANOTHER, BUT THOSE METAL SQUIDS MESSED THAT UP SO MUCH AZRAEL HAD TO BEG ME TO LET THEM EXIST TO DO WHAT THEY WANT AFTER THEY ROYALLY BUGGERED THE TIMELINE OF 4."
"Azrael, begged you? The god of creation? Begged you?"
Death waved his hand dismissively towards Chad as they went inside an office of some sort, an office that seemed, well, endless, but in a blink of an eye, they were before the black desk, which had a small tea set, with skull images of it, and two chairs. Death slowly sat down on one side, and Chad on the other. "UNUSUAL TO YOU PERHAPS. BUT HE OFTEN COMES TO ME ALONG WITH HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN. ALL DIFFERENT TIMES MIND YOU. THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT SCHEDULED VISITS TO AVOID ANY INCIDENTS."
"Wow." Chad looked around and noticed shelves upon shelves of hourglasses…and behind Death and the Desk, was a massive diamond hourglass, emitting a bright teal flame inside in the top half, and a bright blue flame in the bottom half. The light of both didn't seem to go beyond the hourglass however, it just seemed like it was trapped within its own little domain. "I guess as Death, you must be all powerful…"
"TO A DEGREE. IN THIS MULTIVERSE I AM. BUT THE ONE IS SUPERIOR. THEY ARE THE TRUE CREATOR OF THE OMNIVERSE. THEY MADE US. DEATH."
"So, have you met any other, Deaths?"
"SEVERAL TIMES. I EVEN KNOW OF THREE CURRENTLY THAT KNOW DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF YOU. AND IN THOSE LOCATIONS, YOU'RE STILL A NUISANCE."
"So...are there parallel versions of you? You know, you you? Death?"
"NO." Death rested his elbows on the desk, placing his hand together. "I AM THE DEATH FOR YOUR MULTIVERSE. I CAN GO BACK AND FORTH IN THE TIMELINES, BOTH BROKEN AND STABLE, WITH NO RISK OF ANOTHER ME. I SIMPLY EXIST MOMENTARILY IN NUMEROUS PLACES AT ONCE...HOW ELSE DO YOU THINK I REAP THE SOULS AND KEEP UP WITH THE AMOUNT OF MORTALS DYING EVERY MILI-SECOND?"
"No one helps you?"
"I HAVE A GRANDDAUGHTER. SHE TAKES THE ODD JOB. NO ONE ELSE THOUGH. I KNOW ONE OF THE OTHER DEATHS I MET HAD AN 'ANGEL' OF HIS OWN...THEIR VERSION OF OUR DEITIES, BUT SHE WAS A MAJOR MESS OF A PROBLEM THAT I CANNOT BE BOTHERED WITH HERE."
Chad thought about this for a moment. "…You have a granddaughter?"
"ADOPTED."
"Oh." Chad again looked behind Death. "So what's with the giant hourglass?"
"THAT." Death motioned at it. "IS THE MULTIVERSE HOURGLASS. IF THE FLAMES GO OUT, THEN THE MULTIVERSE WILL BEGIN TO COLLAPSE."
"That's bad."
"VERY. NOW. LET US REVIEW THE ISSUE." Death sat back. "YOUR TIMELINE HAS REACHED A CRITICAL DIVERGENCE. IT IS WHEN THE TIMELINE HAS BEEN HALTED BY A SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLE."
"Obstacle?"
Death pointed to behind Chad, as the boy could hear trickling of water.
Chad looked and got out of the chair.
From the ground, headed upwards, were ten different small streams of water. Two were red, two were blue, two were yellow and two were green. Two were, at one point, white, but at a later segment they merge together, and now are one stream of the other four colours. Close by the streams, were small pools of water. One was singular, floating like a small orb, purple in colour, whilst opposite it and the streams was one that was divided into twenty small orbs of water, all numerous colours.
Around the streams themselves were numerous droplets of the coloured waters, appearing and disappearing, splitting away from the streams to exist for a time, before fading out. There were small white marble stones in the streams that the water had to go around, but didn't seem to stop them…
Except one stream through, had come to a stop. One of the blue ones were halted by a massive white marble stone. The water didn't seem to be able to pass it.
"What is this?" Chad had to ask.
"A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE MULTIVERSE, THE TIMELINE, AND THE PARALLEL UNIVERSES. AS WELL AS TWO MULTIVERSES I HAVE SEEN AND HAVE SOME…SIMILARITY TO THIS ONE." Death explained.
"Other Multiverses?"
"YES. THE ONE BY ITSELF HAS SIMILER SOULS RESIDING IN IT LIKE OURS. THE TWENTY MULTIVERSE IS ALMOST UNCANNY TO OURS AND THAT SINGLE ONE. IT HAS AN AZRAEL, CHAD, RICHARD, HERO BASE, DEITIES…GRANTED IT ALSO HAS THINGS CALLED ANGELS BUT IN MY VIEW I'M GLAD THEY JUST STAY THERE."
"And the one that's been stopped?" Chad pointed to the halted stream.
"YOUR UNIVERSE. IT CANNOT PROCEED WITH THE CURRENT DISTORTION. ALL TIME NO LONGER EXISTS THERE."
"So what can I do about it?" Chad faced the reaper.
"YOU MUST HEAD BACK AND CHANGE WHAT COMES NEXT."
"How?"
"BY DECIDING SOMETHING THAT WILL FORCE A CRACK. THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT I CANNOT IGNORE. BY RIGHT I SHOULD DO AS YOU SAW IN THAT PARALLEL. ERASE YOU ALL AS IRRITANTS TO THE TIME STREAM, THAT WOULD REMOVE THE OBSTACLE, BUT IT WOULD ALLOW THE PROBLEM I HAVE IN YOUR UNIVERSE TO PRESIST." Death then motioned to the shelves, and two hourglasses came down. As they approached, the names on them burned away, only leaving a single letter on each one. One had an 'A', the other had an 'R'. "IN YOUR UNIVERSE THERE ARE ANNOYANCES THAT YOU HAVE ENCOUNTERED. I WANT THEM DESTROYED."
"Annoyances?"
"'THE DARK ONE', 'THE BROKEN ONE'. THEY ARE BUT TWO OF THEM. I THINK YOU CAN RETURN THEM WHERE THEY BELONG, IN OBLIVION."
The two hourglasses floated before Chad.
"THERE ARE OTHERS IN THE MULTIVERSE, BUT YOU'LL NEED NOT WORRY ABOUT THEM. I HAVE OTHERS CHASING THEM DOWN."
"Okay…So what's with the hourglasses?"
"YOUR CHOICE. TO ALLOW THE STREAM TO MOVE, THE BLOCKAGE MUST BE DAMAGED. BY GIVING UP A LIFE, BREAKING ONE OF THESE, WE CAN MOVE ON AS THE PASSAGE OF TIME WILL NOT BE SO HINDERED. DON'T BREAK EITHER…" The scythe reappears in his hand. "AND I'LL MAKE YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE AROUND YOU CEASE TO BE."
Chad looked at the scythe. It appeared pretty sharp and menacing at this moment. "So, uh, who do they belong to?"
"PEOPLE WHO WILL DECIDE THE PATH YOU GO. CHOOSE, NOW."
Chad understood Death was not messing around, and reached out, grabbing the hourglasses.
He looked to the 'A' one, then to the 'R' one. "Well…if I have to choose…"
He dropped the 'A' one down to the floor, the glass of it shattering on impact, the sand spraying out across the ground as he waited for something to happen after.
As it went silent, he looked to Death, who reached out towards Chad. The boy quickly gave him the intact hourglass, and he turned it over, the sand within began to run again. "AND THUS, TIME WILL FLOW FOR ALL.
Slowly, the 'R' hourglass glowed a golden light, as a name started to appear on it…
And for Chad, everything went a blinding white without him seeing the name.
"GO BACK. WE WILL MEET AGAIN."
He suddenly found himself back in the Hero Base. On Earth. He was in the middle of the main room of it. "…O…kay." He looked around carefully, noticing that in the skies above it was a starry night, the moon was out, the computers were working as normal and there was an eerie lack of activity.
Granted most people of the base sleep at night, but there are those that should be active. Keira, Dr Wily, Laserman often wanders around.
Still, something felt odd about being here. It felt…like this day had passed. He couldn't explain it. It was like he was aware he was in the past. But why was he?
"Hey Chad."
He looked over to one of the corridors.
Slowly walking in, was Anna, smiling at him.
"Hey Anna. So…uh, any idea why we're in the base of Earth X when we should be on Zebes in the present time? Or are you the Anna of the past or some weird thing like that? It seems awfully strange to be here right now."
She chuckled as she went over to one of the nearby chairs and sat down. "Strangely enough…I know where we're meant to be. Yet here we are…So I guess I'm the present Anna? What do you last recall on the last time we met?"
Chad went and joined her, sitting down next to her. "I was fighting Richard and Chaos inside Unicron's head. Shit went down, I got my ass handed to me, I was waking up, looked over to Richard then…" He paused, thinking about Death and that parallel universe. "…Well let's just say I've been on a little venture as time came to a stop. You?"
"I remember Earth V. I remember heading into battle, you appeared, well, I thought it was you, but it turned out to be Richard. He attacked Medi and then everything went blank."
Chad nodded. "Yeah. Chaos done a number on you and had beaten around Roll too. He's a fucking bastard."
Anna leaned back, sighing a little, still seemingly content. "It's good to be able to relax without any pain now…But I do recall something else, Unicron."
"Oh?"
"…I remember you came for me, you saved me."
Chad looked a little sheepish "Well you are my girlfriend Anna."
She closed her eyes. "I admit, when I looked at you I honestly expected it to be Richard in disguise again, but I'm so happy it wasn't."
Chad turned his head away from her, looking across the room. "Yeah…But I feel guilty. I let something happen to you and I could've prevented it. I let the dark soul win. Let it control me and move away from you when I should've protected you."
He then felt her hand on his. "It's okay Chad. I know the Dark Soul is hard to defeat. I'm just glad you're more free of it now."
"That obvious huh?" Chad chuckled a little, bitterly to himself, cursing that damned thing that controlled him, no, let Richard and in turn Chaos, control him.
"Your eyes give it away." She placed her other hand on her chest, looking relieved, closing her eyes. "I'm just glad you've recovered from that."
Chad smiled a little, before looking over at her.
That's when a flash of the hourglass that he dropped sprang into his mind. Making them blink and shake his head a little, having no clue what that popping up was all about.
He then slowly noticed a red glow appearing over Anna, despite being no source of light from the room. "Anna?"
She smiled at him once again, her eyes looking at his. "You'll be fine Chad. I know you will be. I love you."
Chad quickly stood up, staring at her, as the red light was getting brighter and brighter. "Anna! What's going on!? Why is there—"
He heard an energy shot being unleashed.
Chad was standing up. He was back inside Unicron. In his hands was the Dark Wolf, holding it tightly.
Before him was Chaos, Richard on the ground, and the disappearing smoke of an energy blast having struck something.
Fragments of clothing, landed on the ground between them.
Chad knew. He knew what just happened. And it hurt. It was hurting him. It was a pain he never felt before, surging from his heart.
Chaos was shocked. He knew the face he saw just before firing, whilst Richard is smiling. "…Where did she, when did she move to stop…"
"Heheh. Pop goes the Anna." Richard glanced behind Chaos.
Chad was distraught. He knew who was gone, who's life had now been taken. She wasn't here anymore, and what little clothing remained, matched the colours she wore.
Anna was dead.
Chaos had stolen her from him. He killed the girl he loved dearly.
He gripped the Dark Wolf ever tighter. He felt strength in his body, a wave of anger growing as he saw the murderer before him, his back to him as he was focused on Richard.
Chaos meanwhile, lowered his hand, still surprised at who he just killed. "She wasn't supposed to…I needed her for Chad. He needs her…"
Richard chuckled. "Yes, he did. Now everything changes."
All around them, the place was vibrating violently, the metal walls sounded like they were bending apart and would collapse at any time. Chaos looked up, noticing this effect. "She was a major part in all this? She was part of the reason the timeline was being effected?"
"No Chaos. Her death has twisted the timeline to a new path. And you killed her. You triggered this. You killed Anna Chaos. You MURDERED Anna!" Richard yelled that bit on purpose. To Chaos it seemed like he was gloating this fact, but to another, as he aimed the Dark Wolf and charged, it was the last urge he needed.
Chaos quickly aimed his hand back at Richard, energy rapidly gathering at it's palm. "Then I'll correct my mistake by taking your life too!"
"CHAOS!"
Chaos turned around.
The Dark Wolf thrusted its way through him. In his chest, sticking out from his back, as he stared in dumb shock at Chad Oswald.
The vibrations of the room shortly stopped afterwards.
"Give her back Chaos…GIVE HER BACK!" Chad screamed at him.
Chaos gritted his teeth, trying to focus, he pulled his arm back and socked Chad in the face, sending the boy backwards onto the ground. While he stumbled back after, with the Dark Wolf still in him, blood dripping to the ground.
Richard moved himself aside as Chaos got closer to the edge of the hole in the middle of Unicron and pointed one of his claws towards the Dark Wolf.
The sword glowed an eerie purple.
Chaos felt it. It was draining him, not of blood, nor energy.
But his soul. He felt himself begin to be pulled into the weapon. He felt the being within him try to make him stay, but the weapon was too powerful, too dominating now.
He saw his vision blurring, everything turning dark as he stepped back to the edge of the abyss of Cybertron behind him. His body started to go cold.
"So, this is where it ends. Before any of my plans could even bear fruit."
He saw Chad begin to get up and smiled a little. "Chad Oswald."
Chad focused on him, still looking angered, his nose bleeding from the hit.
"It's a shame you won't see my plans now. It's over. I hope someday we can meet again." Everything had turned dark for Chaos, the last ounce of strength of his fading away. "Goodbye…my son."
Chad heard it. In a flash, his rage died.
Chaos fell into the darkness.
"S…son?" Chad just felt himself shut down. Did Chaos actually say that just then? Was he trying to honestly say he was Chad's…
"I heard it too." Richard looked over to Chad, now looking saddened. "I'm sorry, Chad."
Chad stumbled his way over to Richard and put his hand out to the Zerg hybrid, who grabbed it and worked with Chad to stand back up. "I, I just don't know what to think of it. Is he honestly my father? Or was this a just a mindfuck he wants to cause to me?"
"I don't think, his coming back." Richard looked over to the hole. "You used my sword. It has a soul absorbing ability. I think you had the power and anger to trigger it and did so when you impaled him."
"I killed Chaos."
Richard shook his head, smiling a little to Chad. "No, you avenged Anna."
"…What happened Richard? Why did she die?" Chad looked to the torn fragments of the clothing.
"She just, forced herself up Chad." Richard looked to the ground, shaking in anger. "Goddamnit, I saw her moving and knew what she was about to do! I should've done something other than cower like a damn coward! She didn't need to place herself between me and Chaos!"
"She, gave her life up for you?"
"She wanted to save me for your sake. I heard her say that I need to protect you before she…she…" Richard looked away. "I'm sorry."
Chad didn't say anything else. He walked over to the remains and fell to his knees, staring at them. This was all that was left of her. Chaos obliterated her.
He was heartbroken, tears fell from his cheeks.
"I'll…I'll see to Roll Chad." Richard said to him, before walking away. "You take your time. I'll make sure she's comfortable in her crippled state."
Chad picked up a piece of clothing. A part of her shirt.
"I'm glad you came Chad. I knew my hero wouldn't abandon me…"
"I would never abandon you, Anna."
"I'm sorry. I, I failed. I should've been the one to stand in the way of Chaos. Not you…I'm so sorry…Anna…ANNA!" He crushed the clothing in his hand, his fingers trying to tear through it to dig into his own flesh as he yelled out her name, letting the pain and loss overtake him.
As he cried and let his grief flow freely though, his com-link went off. It was the voice before the whole encounter with Death occurred, a womanly voice. "Chad! Chad can you hear me!"
Chad didn't answer. He didn't want to.
"Listen to me! Please listen to me! I'm Chronoa! I'm the guardian of time! There's been a major change in your timeline now! I know you lost Anna! I'm sorry but you need to focus! Please! If you don't you will lose another too!"
Chad tried to stop his tears. That got his attention a little. "Wh, what are you…?"
"It's Richard! Stop him! Please! His going to attack Roll!"
Chad refused to believe it. "No. Richard would never-He was being controlled by Chaos all along."
"No! He was tricking you! It's all a lie! Richard wanted this all to happen! He had veins around Roll and Anna and pulled Anna in front of him before Chaos fired his energy shot! He used a weak energy shot to make it seem like there was a connection to him and Chaos! His playing all of you for his own gain! Chaos and Anna paid the price for it!"
It was the worst wake up call of his life.
The Dark Soul…
The false promise of removing it from him…
The changes of mood he suffered, the strange sudden fondness for Richard…
Anna's words…Darkmega's words…Nameless' words…
"Richard. Chad, Richard tricked us. Chaos beat me but Richard…"
"Chad would it have made a difference? He's still the Richard you know and was friends with. I doubt you would've turned on him."
"It would never have made any difference to you. You would've made yourself believe he could be saved, like Darkmega."
He let go of the clothing in his hand, slightly blooded now. He shut the com-link off, despite Chronoa trying to speak again to him.
"I'm surprised he didn't mangle her just to show how horrible he could be to her. But I suppose he wants her alive for now."
"He's been waiting for a long time to begin this plan. Along with his many allies."
"The Dark One will come for her again and finish what he started."
And then, he remembered what Richard just said to him before he allowed his sorrow to engulf him.
"You take your time. I'll make sure she's comfortable in her crippled state."
He shouldn't even know she's damaged.
Chad quickly stood up and turned around. "RICHARD!"
He was several meters away, looking right at Chad, smirking as he held Roll by the back of head with her facing Chad, dangling a couple of feet off the ground. "Well, it took you a moment Chad. How about we let Roll see you one last time?"
She slowly opened her eyes. Her breathing became faster. For her, she couldn't feel her arms and legs, but her senses were coming back "C…Chad?"
"Roll!"
"What's going? Who is holding me up—"
Richard dropped her, letting her land roughly on her knees as her feet gave way on impact, and with one jab his claw, it had stabbed into the back of her neck.
"NOO!"
Roll just stared in absolute shock at Chad, trying to say his name, before her crest turned black, and her eyes closed. Richard yanked the claw out and she fell backwards to the floor, not moving once again, whilst Zerg veins surrounded her body and Richard.
They dispersed soon after, and they were both gone.
But Richard's voice spoke out to Chad around the control room of Unicron. "Her last view was of you, a pathetic boy who lowered his guard one too many times with me."
Chad looked for the blade of darkness, seeing it across the room. He dashed to it and grabbed it, holding it ready. "You! You made this all happen!?"
"I did Chad. I set this all up, blending and working through the plans of Chaos, Ingrid, Azrael, Blind Io. I had to work my plan through theirs, alternating things they then had to adjust around without fully knowing who messed it up."
"Why!? Tell me why!"
Chad heard laughter around him. "Because I played the song and dance before. I've fought 'you', I lost to 'you'. I tried for a normal life. It failed. I've backstabbed everyone, but in the end I must be defeated…for Chad's sake."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm fated to lose to you. I must lose to you. The Gamemasters of that Universe mocked me for it. Azrael acknowledged it. I'm not going to let it go that path anymore. I have a goal."
Chad looked around, trying to spot the bastard. "What would that be then? Killing everyone? Destroying our future?!"
"I want, to save us all."
Chad paused for a moment, baffled by that answer.
"We are all going to die by the whim of the gods. They decide how, and by whom. I will defy that, I will destroy those that serve the damned gods and save us from that end. I want to stop the cycles."
"Then why did you kill Roll!? Why are you doing this to us!?"
"Roll isn't dead…yet. The why of it though…Because I want to make you all suffer. I want to enjoy an experience of victory, of crushing you and all of those in that damned hero base! But, tell me something Chad. How did it feel? How did the experience feel?"
"Of what!? You doing this!?"
"No."
Then Richard appeared, floating there several meters in the air near the middle of the room. Next to him, held up by her arms with Zerg veins, was Roll. He floated towards her a little, and gently grabbed her face. "So smooth, so tender…She is nothing like those I had to put up with in the darkness of oblivion."
Chad looked straight up at him. "The experience of WHAT, Richard!?"
"Of taking Anna's life away from her?"
Chad came to a dead stop. "…What?"
"You done it afterall. Blockages in time can require a soul. Death always asks for a small price if the matter is major. As your almost lifeless eyes glanced at Anna, I knew the choice you made."
Chad flashed back to the hourglass with 'A' hitting the ground, shattering. And the hourglass with 'R' on it glowing golden.
"Both girls were here. One would've been less surprising to Chaos, the other would shock him so much…a new timeline would be created from your anger, and his death."
He knew now. He knew what they meant.
Anna
Roll.
He picked Anna to die.
He looked down to the ground, his grip loosened on the blade of darkness.
His choice…
"Heheheh. Yes Chad, you let me win. You let your girlfriend die. And then you go and kill your own father!" With that, Richard was laughing like mad, enjoying the fact Chad wasn't responding to it, no comebacks, no quips…nothing but silence.
"You had all these chances to figure me out, yet you couldn't even resist! You're simpler minded then Nameless! You couldn't even resist my control over you! You were the perfect little pawn to set this all up!"
Chad remained silent. But within him…a new fire was rapidly growing.
"Now to celebrate…I think I'm going to slowly tear Roll's face off and pass it to you as a gift, before I dissect her into fine little chunks."
"Stop it."
"Hm?" Richard looked down.
Chad was holding the Blade of Darkness tightly in his hand once, whilst still he stared down to the ground, Richard could see it shaking slightly. "Why should I? I made Chaos kill Anna, I made you kill Chaos. Don't I deserve a bit of fun once in a while Chad? I mean look at her." Richard focused back to the girl besides him. "Hurt, helpless…the last thing she recalled before her memories died was of your look of fear, isn't that precious?"
"Stop it."
"She loves you Chad." Richard chuckled. "She wanted to be with you but stood aside for your dead girlfriend. But still, this whole thing isn't enough…I want to know if it's still there, that one connection."
"I said stop it." Chad raised his voice a little, still not looking up.
"Should I tear at her? Maybe cause her to wake up? Let her new memories be of pain, agony and terror?" Richard gently stroked Roll's cheek. "That would be so nice for me…"
"I SAID STOP IT!" Chad's head shot up, looking straight at Richard…a face of pure rage was staring at him. "YOU WANTED ALL THIS! YOU MADE THIS ALL HAPPEN! YOU MADE ME CHOOSE!"
"That's right Oswald! I knew Death would have no choice in the matter! I gambled on it and I've won! You've lost!"
"I'LL SLAUGHTER YOU! I'LL MAKE YOU SUFFER BEYOND ANYTHING YOU'VE EVER HAD RICHARD!" After that, Chad yelled out, feeling a surge of power from within spawned from his rage and desire.
Richard seemed stunned for a moment…but soon he was laughing, smiling widely. "YES! Yes I can sense it! It's still there! The power! The power that can make you worth fighting!" He dived down and landed only a few feet away from Chad.
His claws turned a deep purple, emitting a twisted aura that seemed to spread out throughout the entirety of Unicron's head as he raised his hands towards the mobian lad, who was panting, snarling, clearly on the verge of lunging. All the while, Richard's face was twisted with absolute joy. "I can finally face another! HAHAHAHA! THIS IS WHAT I'VE WAITED FOR! NOW COME AND FIGHT, CHAD, OSWALD!"
Jie Ting was proving to be a struggle for Aqua. She was beginning to fear that maybe, just maybe, this place was going to be her end. Eraqus, the keybladers, herself, Hua Xiong, Yan Liang and Wen Chou, Serious Sam, Ma Chao and Pang De as well as several scores of troopers were isolated from Yuan Shao and Zhang Jiao's forces.
They refused to fall back into Jie Ting. They had a battle to fight and win. Shadowlaw was not going to stop them.
Yuan Shao's men were beginning to lack motivation, Yuan Shao was beginning to doubt victory. Aqua noticed he was no longer attempting to charge through anymore to their rescue, and Zhang Jiao was unable to coordinate his people, which showed as the Shadowlaw forces were starting to pick them off.
But soon, she and the others started to notice something. A change in the way Shadowlaw troops were behaving and what they were aiming for. They had begun to target Yuan Shao's forces much more, almost abandoning their push on the south entrance of Jie Ting.
Without her knowing, there was a shift of command. Xehanort, a veteran of combat had teleported away from the south to control the northern forces. Dr Gero had teleported to the south as commanded by their leader…and his focus was the biggest enemy against him, none of the others.
This was about to be his undoing, as soon a Keyblader ran up and joined Aqua and the others out of Jie Ting. "Hey! Get ready to make a push everyone! We have to re-join Yuan Shaos and Zhang Jiao's forces!"
Terra had come. With him came thousands of Wei cavalry troops and spearmen. At his side, were Zhang Liao, Sun Ce, a wounded Xiahou Yuan and Pang Tong.
Aqua was very glad, to say the least. "You came!"
"Of course I did. I could never leave you and Master Eraqus behind. Cao Cao gave me these men to help bring the battle here to a close." He readied his Keyblade, looking to the Shadowlaw forces. "And I intend to do just that!"
Renewed and full of confidence, the forces of the south charged into the now rear end of the Shadowlaw army, something they weren't prepared for, thousands of the black armoured troopers being taken down, causing a major concern for Dr Gero, who tried to make his army focus their attention on the attackers.
But now Yuan Shao had noticed the sudden surge of bravery and attack from the Jie Ting defenders and rallied his own forces. "There is hope men! We will prove to Shadowlaw they will never outshine my prestige and drive them from this world! Attack now!"
His men buckled up and met the Shadowlaw troops with a sudden new drive, picking them off as they were trying to obey their leader, who was quickly getting agitated by the way this was going. "Damn that Yuan Shao! I knew I should've just focus on him still! Counterattack them you fools! COUNTERATTACK!"
Then along came the Yellow Turbans, noticing the shift of battle, Zhang Jiao called to his 'children' that once again their time has come.
For Dr Gero, no matter which way he looked at it, by breaking up what Xehanort had been doing he simply screwed himself over now. If he had kept to the defensive formation Xehanort had set up, Yuan Shao would've lost all motivation and he would've wiped out the forces protecting Jie Ting and the Yellow Turbans.
But for the north, the change of tactics put in place by Xehanort had made things turn ugly for the forces of Wei, Wu and Shu.
He had many more men under his command in the north, and put them all to good use instead of trying to keep in line with the failing Han forces, who were scattering apart with the fall of He Jin, and the Galactic Federation remnants, who were focused solely on keeping a defensive posture…whatever was left of them, as so many had now defected over to General Grievous.
The sudden aggressive move caught all three kingdom's leaders by surprise. General Grievous though quickly figured out who was now in charge, and moved his forces to try and focus only on Keaton, making sure they keep clear of Shadowlaw. He didn't want any of what Xehanort was now bringing to the battlefield. He knew the old man well enough to know going toe to toe unprepared was a poor choice.
Liu Bei and Sun Jian didn't, and it was costing them dearly.
Many, many of their generals were at the frontline when Shadowlaw kicked into high gear whilst Cao Cao's men were handling the Han and GF remnants. Now they were trying to rally them desperately, noticing familiar faces on the ground, having lost their lives. It especially hit Sun Jian hard when he spotted his son Sun Quan and his wife Lian Shi both killed. "Liu Bei! We cannot keep fighting like this! We have to fall back into a defensive stance and make our stand at Jie Ting's gate!"
"I must find Zhang Fei and Guan Yu first! I cannot leave my brothers behind!" Liu Bei was trying to see if he could spot them…and indeed soon did, along with Zhao Yun and Sun Shang Xiang, all riding up to him and Sun Jian on horseback. "Brothers! Shang Xiang! Zhao Yun!"
With their arrival, the two leaders started their retreat, flanked by their four allies…which soon dropped to three, as an energy shot struck the back of Zhang Fei, causing him to fall off his horse. It alerted everyone else and made them stop for a moment. "Brother!" Guan Yu called out.
Zhang Fei groaned, slowly standing up, grabbing his spear, spotting the Shadowlaw forces heading his way. "Tch, of all the luck…" He looked to his brothers. "Get out of here! I'll do what I can! GO!"
"But our oath Zhang Fei!"
"There's no time! Retreat!"
Four of them did…but one rode back to Zhang Fei, and jumped off his horse to stand beside him, Zhao Yun. "Whatever you are willing to face master Zhang Fei, I will face with you!"
"This is called 'suicide' Zhao Yun. You sure you wanna go through with it?" Zhang Fei held his spear ready, about to charge at the black wave of troopers.
"I am Liu Bei's spear. I am his weapon and as such—" Zhao Yun readied his own weapon. "—I am ready to give my life!"
Both rushed in to what was about to be their last battle.
Cao Cao, meanwhile, had watched this all unfold before him. "We weren't ready to overcome this threat…to think this had gone all so wrong… Jia Xu, report in!"
He held his com-link, there was no answer.
"Guo Jia!"
…Nothing. Both had been leading his attack force against the Han and GF…He knew what had happened to them, with Shadowlaw having separated them from the main force.
He got his com-link one more time. "Everyone of the northern force! Retreat into Jie Ting! We cannot fight out in the open and hope for victory! We will hold them off within!" He watched, as the men around him started their retreat.
Xiahou Dun had been close by, keeping his sword in hand, as he looked to his cousin. "Let's hope they don't besiege us for too long. We haven't planned for one and there isn't much in the way of supplies."
"Xiahou Dun, we're to go towards the frontline and make sure Liu Bei and Sun Jian are safe! They are vital to my plans!"
They both rode towards the ever-closing front of the battle. Cao Cao prayed they were alive, that many of their men were okay. Both kingdoms had fine officers, and to lose them just as they are heading to a new world of independence…
He soon found himself meeting up with Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Sun Shang Xiang. "Everyone! I am glad to see you are alive! Where is Sun Jian? Sun Quan? Zhang Fei?"
Liu Bei answered him. "Sun Quan is gone. Zhang Fei is…giving his life. Lord Sun Jian has gone to a group of his elite cavalry and his making a mad dash to Keaton. He believes if Keaton is dead this will all end. I tried to dissuade him but the loss of his child…"
"The fool!" Cao Cao got back on his com-link "Sun Jian! Sun Jian answer me!"
"GET DOWN!" That came from one of the officers, Jian Yong.
A volley of plasma arrows had been launched by Shadowlaw and were raining down on Cao Cao and the others. The one that called out was struck directly in the head with one, killing him.
"Fall back!" Cao Cao bellowed out, as he turned his horse to begin the retreat.
As the numbers around them dwindled with the volley coming down, one arrow ripped right through the head of Sun Shang Xiang's horse, sending her down to the ground head first, smacking it and causing her to black out.
"My lady!" Liu Bei leapt off his horse, something Cao Cao and Guan Yu noticed. Cao Cao got off his own and chased after Liu Bei along with Guan Yu, trying to avoid the arrows as they burned into the ground.
Liu Bei reached her and lifted her up, ready to carry her…when he spotted a new wave of arrows coming down. He quickly turned his back to them, hunching over a little to protect Shang Xiang as the arrows rained down, and just before it came to an end...he was struck with several bolts.
He fell down, Sun Shang Xiang falling out of his arms as he dropped. Cao Cao rushed over with Guan Yu. Liu Bei looked up from the dirt, soon rolling onto his side. "G-Guan Yu. Take Lady Shang Xiang. Get her, to safety. My last wish to you…"
"Brother…I will do as you command." With that, Guan Yu easily picked the girl up, and continued with the retreat.
"Cao Cao…"
Cao Cao bent down to the Shu leader, looking down at the ground, in shame. "I had hoped you and Sun Jian both, would see the world I had envisioned for us all."
"You, you must survive then. We followed you to see that world, so you must lead the people in our stead. Please, bring hope and unity to the people. That is all I ever wanted…"
Cao Cao nodded solemnly and slowly stood up. "I will make your dream a reality Liu Bei. To that, I can promise you." With that, he ran after the others.
Liu Bei smiled, closing his eyes. "Then that is all, I can ask of you friend…goodbye…"
Keaton meanwhile, would be happy with the results he was now seeing, with Shadowlaw crushing the resistance forces against him.
If he wasn't noticing Grievous rapidly approaching once again. This was the fifth time he saw the angered cyborg, and it would be last time for him today. "I refuse to stay here any longer! Anywhere on this world and beyond is better then hanging around with that mad machine after me!"
He noticed a few horsemen of the Han nearby. He ran over to them, shot one of them off their horse, got on it and started to flee east. Luo Yang was his best bet to get off this world now, and there wasn't much time as the Han would soon be dispersed entirely with the lack of leadership.
A handful of his loyal men tried to run after their leader to follow him out of this place. The rest soon noticed what was going on and just gave up to the cyborg as quickly as possible, who briefly acknowledged their surrender, before trying to chase after Keaton at full speed.
Keaton so had noticed a third party coming his way at a different angle. Sun Jian and his small cluster of cavalry. "Of course SOMEONE of this backwater lot had to have an interest in me!" Keaton looked back and noticed his struggling men. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? SHOOT HIM! SHOOT HIM!" Keaton motioned towards Sun Jian.
Sun Jian was quickly approaching, sword at the ready. "Keaton! You coward! You cannot escape the tiger of Jiang Dong!"
Then a continuous wave of energy bullets flew towards him and his troops taking down most of them with ease whilst he and a few others had to halt their horses to get them to calm down, before trying to make another charge.
Keaton was still just riding on, not looking back.
Sun Jian noticed and yelled out "This is the day you die Keaton Al'Keriff! Men! Char—"
An energy bullet got him right in the neck.
He fell off his horse, who rode away.
Slowly his world darkened, as he cursed himself, thinking, 'Damnit. Of all the rotten luck…'
Grievous had caught up to Keaton's men, and trounced them in no time. By the time he was done though, Keaton was out of sight.
Xehanort was at the rear of his army, standing there, listening to reports that were coming and going on his com-link.
"Report from sector 7! Enemy force has retreated into Jie Ting! We're readying a siege master Xehanort!"
"Report from sector 5! We have wiped out all those opposing us outside of northern Jie Ting gate! We're readying for a siege and joining up with sector 7!"
"Report from Sector 9! We're taking heavy casualties! Dr Gero we need advice on how to handle enemies south!"
"Dr Gero to Sector 9, 10, 11 and 12. We cannot hold. Master Xehanort I advise a retreat, the south is too strong."
Xehanort chuckled a little. "And here I thought you could handle a battlefield Dr Gero. Permission granted. Inform shadow station XX114 to emergency teleport as many as you as possible. We've gotten the upper hand north, things will go smoothly from here."
"Understood."
A few minutes after that.
"Emergency report!"
Xehanort sighed to himself. Who died now? First Empress He, then He Jin…
"Keaton Al'Keriff of the Galactic Federation has fled the battlefield!"
Now that was interesting. Master Xehanort looked up at the sky, mulling over the information in his head.
"This whole battle was to get a position for the Galactic Federation and maintain the superiority of the Han. Both have collapsed…It's clear then there is little to be gained from further combat. All sectors this is Xehanort, prepare to return to all transport vessels and fall back to nearby shadow stations. Our contract here is now void."
Chad was beaten black and blue, one eye was swollen, blood was leaking from his nose, mouth and several other locations, cuts from the sharpened veins Richard had unleashed his way.
Richard was nothing like before.
He was taking his time, using attacks Chad has never seen before, mostly imbued with the power of the illegal substance Phazon, and he didn't seem to be taking any form of damage whatsoever, the only thing that had changed, were nine of his claws having now crystallized.
But Richard meanwhile was packing more wallop with his physical attacks. Every punch and kick he unleashed was covered in the purple aura and it hit like a truck for Chad. If it wasn't his hands and feet striking him it was the ability to instantly morph into a pile of Zerg veins and use them to collide or knock away Chad, cutting him in the process.
But he still stood, still held his blade of darkness…and Richard was enjoying every moment, allowing Chad to strike him a few times once more, now the tenth claw turning into crystal like state, seemingly the weapon phasing through him before transforming completely into a collection of glowing purple Zerg veins, and smashing into Chad, knocking him flying back before reforming close to him. "Is this all you have Oswald!?"
"EXPLOSION!" Came the reply.
The blast struck the ground as the sword failed to connect to Richard, the blast engulfing him. As soon as the blade of darkness was ready though, Chad then called out "SILFARION!"
Chad swung the weapon like made in the brief cloud of smoke from the blast. He could barely spot Richard inside it, knowing he was aiming at the right location.
Richard just waited for the right moment and kicked Chad in the chest as his foot was covered in the dark purple aura, sending him flying and smacking into a wall.
But now all twelve claws were crystallized. Richard look annoyed, staring at Chad as he got himself up. "Well, it's a shame this has to end but…" Richard aimed his hand towards Chad…as all the twisted aura of energy around the room gathered in his hand, the crystallized claws glowing brighter and brighter a twisted purple and red.
Chad had recovered enough to look towards Richard and noticed the energy building. It felt nothing like he knew…it felt overbearing as it was growing stronger and stronger.
Soon the room lacked the aura, all now gathered in one place…as the claws broke out of their crystal shell, bright red and glowing as Richards eyes were glowing a bright purple. "CORRUPTION DRIVE!"
A beam of multiple dark colours blasted forth, rushing towards Chad as he tried to instinctively block with his blade and a small barrier of Chaos energy.
The barrier did nothing, shattering with minimal effort, the energy beam covering him, burning him all over, a feeling of electric, fire and blades cutting and tearing through him inside and out. He was sure he was going to die at that moment. He just screamed in agony whilst the energy beam tore through the wall behind him. He didn't get blasted back by the attack though, it had no actual blowing force against him…it just hurt like nothing else before.
Once it ended, Chad fell to his knees, slumping back, barely breathing, twitching, his grip on the blade of darkness gone.
Richard's claws were back to normal, as was he. He folded his arms. "Well, you're the first to make me come out of my invincible state in ages. The last one to do so soon after gave up though…will you do the same Chad? Cough or cry out if your still alive."
Chad had a better idea. He didn't know what was giving him strength, but by Azrael it was pushing him to fight back. He bent to the side a little, grabbing the blade of darkness off the ground, before lurching himself upright, then forward, seemingly as if about to hit the floor face first…only to push on his hand and feet, and spring into action rushing towards Richard, yelling out.
Chad embedded his blade into Richard's stomach.
He had made contact at last, and he smiled in victory…but Richard only winced a little, before he showed he was still smiling. "Heh…still got some fight left huh? Despite it all, you really are like him…"
"Unlike whoever 'He' is, I'll finish you here and now!" Chad pulled his blade upwards, tearing right through Richard all the way up through his head, black blood gushing out over the wounded mobian. The blow had dissected Richard apart, the only thing holding his body together was the back of his head and spine, yet…
The body slowly leaned back, almost as if it was about to topple over…then, Chad heard bone snapping, saw flesh being twisted and mutated before he noticed that the body was making itself upright again.
Looking down at him was one glowing bright purple eye, as the other had been destroyed by the sword. The skin twisted into a blackened purple colour, the teeth within the divided mouth having grown several times in length into sharp fangs, the rib cage that was sticking apart by the cutting his sword had sharpened up into jagged fangs themselves, and as he noticed quite quickly, there were no internals. No organs. A black void was before him combined with the sharp bones, it looked like a massive maw dripping with black liquid.
"But unlike him—" The voice of Richard came from…somewhere, within that void. "—You lack the real power to put me down again."
Chad stared at the eye, dumbstruck. "…What…in the fuck, are you?"
"I'm the answer to the cycles."
With that, the wound Chad made closed up, the 'mouth' slamming shut and instantly healing over, turning back into a torso.
Richard's skin returned to normal as he stood before Chad, smiling again. "You understand so little, Oswald." And simply blasted Chad away with a Phazon Beam. "You alone can't stop me. It's a shame really, because he used to, if only you could be that powerful…"
Chad forced himself to his feet, readying his sword again…but another voice soon spoke out for him. "He is not as alone as you believe."
Richard looked to the side, as did Chad.
Diamas stood there, his master sword in his hand. "If you wish to fight a battle one on one." He readied it. "Then come forth, I'll make it worth your time!"
"You? YOU are siding with Chad?!" Richard was amused by the thought.
"Diamas?" Chad stared at the Hylian. "You're…"
"I'm siding with you as he is a threat to me. I am not an ally." Diamas pointed out.
"Hm, I see." Richard smirked, lifting up a battlechip. "And look what I got from Chaos in the midst of our fight earlier?"
It was the Unicorn chip. The device Chaos showed Diamas before. "I can give you this to make you much more powerful Diamas, in exchange you defect away from Ingrid and work for me. Fuse with the data in this, and you'll be as mighty as you were as Unicron."
Diamas was not so easily swayed however…and another thing made him remain against Richard.
A small white energy beam struck the chip, blasting it apart in Richards hands. He seemed mildly irritated. "Oh don't tell me…"
"I see the interference to this universe is attempting to make a stand." That was another voice.
Now to the other side of Richard and Chad, Zuo Ci appeared. "That, I cannot allow."
Richard raised his hand towards Zuo Ci. "Stay out of this." And unleashed from it a collection of Zerg veins…which failed to reach their target as a dark cyber sword slashed through them, causing what remained to return to Richard.
Darkmega landed in-between the Zerg Hybrid and the deity. "I think I need to get back into this fight instead of side lining it!"
"And I think all three of you need to get lost! PHAZON BLAST!" Richard crossed his arms for a moment, before sending them outward to his sides, a bright blue wave of energy erupting from him.
"HOKUTO! ANRYU HIHA!"
A Dark red ball of energy flew in between where Darkmega and Chad stood and quickly struck the wave of energy that had burst out of Richard, both cancelled eachother out.
Walking in was someone none of them expected, not even Diamas. "You—Kel! What are you doing here!?"
Kel'Thurzard entered the room, looking at Richard whilst adjusting the fingerless gloves he was wearing before smirking over at Diamas. "Just wanted to check on an old friend." Then looked back angrily at Richard "Before taking out someone who threatens our plans."
Richard was now fully annoyed by this little get together. "Well, at least that Zerg and my counterpart haven't woken up…"
"Yo!"
"Oh for fucks—" Richard looked behind him.
Dr Rich was active holding Roll in his arms, next to him was Zasz. "Hey! Kinda noticed you hung this poor Navi up! So I took the time to cut her down while you were distracted by our pals popping up!"
Chad quickly called out to them. "Leave and take Roll with you! We'll handle Richard!"
"Ah but come on man, he's my dark self…"
Zasz though, looked at Dr Rich. "We best to. Roll needs help and can't protect herself if Richard targets her."
"…You take her, I'm staying." Dr Rich handing Roll to Zasz, who unlike Dr Rich, decided to leave as quick as possible using her Zerg veins, covering herself and Roll.
"I'll await your victory outside, Chad!" Was all Zasz said before vanishing.
Dr Rich meanwhile, got his scythe ready and spun it around, whilst the GF armor he wore turned into fragments of data and disappeared…leaving him in what was his Net Navi's gear, the helmet appearing on his head, spewing small jets of blue flames out the back. "Alright, now it's six on one!"
"Well…this is an interesting combination. Certainly different from the path I knew." Richard slowly turned, looking at each, before focusing back to Chad, that mad evil grin on his face once more. "But I'm not going to die here! I'm crush each and every one of you!" With that his claws turned a deep purple once again, emitting the twisted aura Chad had battled in before.
"Chaotic energy release? Now that's certainly interesting…" Kel'Thurzard raised his hands up into the air. "Hokuto! Mabu Koso!"
A gust of wind seemed to go from Kel'Thurzard to Richard who felt it flow by him…seconds later he was in shock, quickly hunching over and yelling in pain as cuts appeared all over his body…noticeably, a few of his claws were sliced off and as they fell, the purple glow they had died off, the aura faded away.
While the wounds on his body easily healed up, his claws did not regrow yet, now he was angered.
"You sadly allow the obvious spot of where you produce your energy stick out. Better luck next time." Kel'Thurzard lowered his arms, then got into his fighting stance. "Now we can begin properly."
"Heh…so I can't play it safe huh? Well at least I know one of you is too injured to keep up now." Richard focused on Chad once more. "Isn't that right?"
As Chad was about to answer though, a red glow formed around him, a flow of warm energy was washing over him. He recognized it, as it Richard.
Chaos Energy.
Several of his wounds healed up, his eye returned to normal, and a majority of the bruising faded away, making him feel more refreshed now, as he readied his blade of darkness, smiling himself now. "So, looks like someone is watching over me."
Richard glanced behind Chad at the hole in the wall, spotting the black coated man who had raised his hand towards Chad, now lowering it as he looked to Richard, before leaping back quietly, down outside. "Yes…Nameless likes to make things interesting."
Notes:
1. Langoliers are from Stephen King's book Four Past Midnight.
2. The Multiverses that Death showed were The Gamemasters Universe, and the original Twenty Universes Chad and Myself once used, showing it still existed in it's own timeline now.
-Dragonridley