A Story of Kalathanon

by Kalathanon

The Second book in the Kalathanon Series that started with The Legend of Spyro: The Kalathanon Files. New faces include, David Web, RWBY, Ezio, some D3, Firefly, Borderlands, and more.

58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58 The Stage

Character Kalathanon

K had set up a call with the heads of DC. The purpose was to derive a strategy to counter the attacks that were being made against the planets that DC had been to or that members had come from. On today's list was Sanghelios, Pandora, the Citadel, and Moscow. To counter these incursions K had called Arbiter, Roland, Shepard and Carter since they were the experts on those areas.

"If we are heading to the Citadel then I want you and Harbinger to come with us," Shepard said, "You control the Reapers, K, we need you there."

"Makes sense," Carter agreed, "We can handle Moscow with RWBY and friends in tow."

"My team is good," Roland said, "But if I could get Mal and his crew to help that would be great."

"Talk to him about it then," K said, "We are not really busy here since Ruby's network is no longer being jammed."

"I request that the Spartans, Doug, and Johnson come to help on my home," Arbiter said, "I think it will be good for my people to see us fighting together against a common foe again."

"That would be Church's call but I think he will be inclined to agree with you," K said. "Shepard when we finish clearing out the Citadel I believe a lot of DC would enjoy having a few days to explore the station, it is the only one that rivals the Ark, additionally I believe Ironwood and Abrams would be very interested in various parts of it's construction."

"Easily arranged," Shepard said, "I believe Anderson has an apartment on the Citadel that would make for a nice retreat."
"An apartment," Carter asked, "How big is it?"

"The Admiral said it was massive," Shepard replied, "I'll assume he means it."

"Besides those of us who are to large to fit in an apartment won't be going inside anyway," K said, "Okay. If there is nothing else then I suggest we go get those we want to help us on our missions and head out."

"With you and Harbinger on our team we can head out immediately," Shepard said.

"I'll bring C as well," K stated.

"Never thought you wouldn't," Shepard responded. "You may need to change her to a human form to fit into the Normandy though."

"You want us to go in as human," K asked as the others disconnected from the call.

"I think it would be for the best," Shepard said, "Word is that the people are antsy as it is with the Reapers helping them out but to know that they are all controlled by a Leviathan... it might be a little much for them to take."

"Alright I see your point," K said, "I'll go get her and meet you out by Beacon's landing strip."

"We will be waiting for you to call us in then," Shepard said as he too disconnected.

"Sounds like we will be busy," Doug stated.

"Yup," K replied, "You're joining Arbiter right?"

"Of course," Doug said, "He was one of the first to trust me besides you. I'll have his back."

"Glad to hear it," K said, "I should go get C and Harbinger."

"And I should collect those who are going with us," Doug stated as K left the Pestilence. K glided down to Beacon as he contacted C and Harbinger to meet him there. Harbinger arrived before C who was finishing up a conversation with Lilith and Inarius.

"K," Harbinger stated as the Reaper moved in over head.

"Harbinger," K thought back, "Ready to be diplomatic?"

"Shepard requested that I go with you all I take it," Harbinger said.

"He did," K replied, "I don't think he understands the relationship we have. In any case you are the figurehead of the Reapers. The races will consider you to be the Reapers' leader even if it is my biology that is commanding your programming."

"That just means that we will act like you," Harbinger said, "You have a past of getting various races to work together so this is a beneficial trait."

"And yet you have your own autonomy still," K added, "I don't believe the Crucible was designed with any being like me in mind for it's use. Somehow I control you all while letting you have free reign over your individuality."

"You restored us to our primary programming," Harbinger said, "We were designed to help our creators find a resolution to the dark energy convergence event that they predicted would occur. Even after accumulating millions of years of data on the subject we have yet to come to a suitable answer to this event or even comprehend what it is."

"Your talking about the collapsing of the universe," K said, "There is no answer to it. The universe dies and falls to the next of an infinite series of energy levels. My only answer to this event is that it is how God designed creation to renew itself."

"Such is our assumption," Harbinger said.

"K," C called as she landed behind him, "So we are heading back to Lilith's universe?"

"Three teams are yes," K said, "Shepard and us, Roland and Mal, and Carter and RWBY. We will be in different time periods and/or places though until the end of the missions then we will all meet up at the Citadel with Shepard for a little bit of sightseeing."

"If we are heading to that universe why not check on the situation with Sanctuary and the Library," C asked.

"The Council and the Primes want to handle that situation personally," K said. "They will no doubt be active while we are there but they want to solidify their truce with the people of Sanctuary by defeating this invading force themselves. I know they are capable of doing so."

"Of course," C said, "Still if we can keep an eye on them I would feel better about it."

"Harbinger call Shepard tell him we are at the airfield," K said then to C, "One more thing Shepard wants us both in human forms for this."

"Hit me then," C said. K morphed her or K allowed C to use his power to morph herself. After a few moments the massive form of C's Leviathan body was replaced with the still imposing form of her fully armored human body. Covered in full titanium-carbon weave plate mail from head to toe, Celantra was almost impervious to physical harm, especially since her bone structure was still the almost unbreakable crystal. She flipped her visor up to reveal her silver-blue eyes and a few strands of her silver hair. "Okay love I'm ready." C had a huge two-handed sword strapped to her back the handle of which stuck up over her right shoulder. In contrast K had taken up his silver-green cloaked human form with the white dreadlocks and only his soul-blades as weapons.

"You always have to be shiner than me don't you," K stated.

"Shepard is on his way here expect him in a few moments," Harbinger said.

"Harbinger," C asked.

"Yes, we should be able to spot the Normandy coming in any second," K said. He looked around and saw the ship coming in from the west to pick them up. The front hatch opened up and the two Leviathan's entered the Normandy.

"I'm glad you decided to come with us," Liarra said as she welcomed them onto the ship. "It will be good for the people to see the Reapers in action and working to defend them for a change. C what is with the heavy armor? Didn't you prefer light armors?"

"This is a light weight armor," C said as the three made their way to the war room. "and it is very flexible thanks to the weave construction. It does offer the protection of heavy armor though so it is the best of both."

"So it is light and offers a good grip for any enemy that wants to grapple you," Wrex commented as he joined the three, "I don't think I would like it."

"Yes it seems that everything has a weakness," K said, "I would not want to be the enemy that grabs onto C though that will result in quite a shock." The four entered the war room as Harbinger and the Normandy made the jump to the Citadel.

"K, C," Shepard said as he waved them over to the holographic table in the middle of the room. "So here is what we are looking at going up against." An image of a twisted and mangled creature was pulled up on the table.

"What was that," C asked.

"It used to be Krogan," Wrex said, "That is until he and his patrol met one of these." Another picture was projected on the table. This one of a six legged creature with a head at each end of it's body and two arms coming from the torsos. The heads were the most troubling part of the creature however as both heads were a flaming, floating, singularity.

"A creature that is a twin singularity," K asked astonished. In all his years he had never encountered a creature like this. "We should have brought James along to deal with these."

"I don't think James would be able to help against these things they are not gravitational in nature," Liarra said, "Instead they are concentrations of dark energy, the same energy you tapped into to control the Reapers."

"I see," K said, "So these creatures were encountered on the Citadel?"

"No but a foolish braggart captured one and brought it to the Citadel," Shepard said. "Now it is missing and I believe this is a perfect opportunity to get some information on where these creatures are coming from and we will be keeping one from terrorizing the Citadel."

"Hey Commander," Joker said, "we're docking in five, do you want transport to anywhere?"

"The Embassies," Shepard said, "Bailey knows about the missing creature."

"Got it," Joker replied, "A shuttle is waiting for you outside."

"Tali, Wrex, Liarra lets go," Shepard said, "K, C you're with Wrex do try not to break anything."

"Break everything got it," K and Wrex said as they fist bumped each other on the way out of the Normandy and to the shuttle. Inside the shuttle Shepard continued informing K about everything he knew on the creatures.

"People are calling them the Scorned," Shepard said, "According to the reports they started showing up about a month after you took over the Reapers but recently their numbers and aggressiveness has increased."

"So these are creatures of dark energy," C said, "As in they are born from that energy?"

"It would seem so yes," Shepard said as the group got out at the Embassies and waded through the lines of people at the front desk to get to Bailey in C-Sec head quarters.

"Shepard," Bailey, a middle aged, muscular man with short cut blond hair, greeted as the group came in, "I see you've got a few new faces with you. Should I scan them in or are they not that type of people?"

"Probably not," K said before leaning closer so only Bailey could hear. "I'm the one in control of the Reapers."

Bailey's blue eyes widened at that statement but the Captain just nodded his understanding and waved the six over to his desk. "I assume your here about the Scorned that is loose then."

"We are," Shepard said, "What can you tell us about them?"

"Other than a few of them can kill Reapers? Not much I'm afraid," Bailey replied, "They are agile for one, fast and have extremely powerful biotics. However we don't know what sustains them, what they want, or really anything about the creatures other than most of them are non-violent for the moment. Recently something has been causing them to attack just about anything in sight, like I said a group of twenty of them tore a Reaper to pieces just a week ago."

"Harbinger, did you get that," K thought to the Reaper.

"I am aware," Harbinger replied, "The amount of power that would be required to destroy one of my kind depends greatly on the class of Reaper that they are talking about."

"Which class of Reaper," K asked.

"One of them big ones," Bailey said, "A lot like the one that followed you in only without the yellow lights."

"A Sovereign class Reaper... killed by twenty of these creatures," Harbinger thought, "We must stop them." K felt something coming from Harbinger that he had not thought the machine capable of... sorrow.

"You are saddened by the loss of one of your own," K asked.

"Is that so surprising," Harbinger replied, "You gave us your biological code after all."

"What can you tell us about the Scorned that is on the Citadel," Liarra asked.

"The man that brought it in is Reginald Vrack," Bailey said as Shepard and his team's omni-tools flash to indicate they had receive data on the man. "Slippery man and dangerous but we've never been able to nail him specifically to any crime. As much as I hate to say it you are going to have to do some digging before you will be able to get much farther with him. Also there were reports that a Scorned was seen by Chora's Den you might get leads from the patrons there."

"Thanks Bailey," Shepard said as the group headed out, "I'll make sure to keep you updated with what we find."

"Hmm..." Tali muttered as she looked over the data while they rode the elevator to the Wards where Chora's Den was located. "This Reginald sounds very stubborn and clever, we're going to need a lot of dirt or pressure or both to get him to help us."

"We've got a lot of pressure right here," Wrex said as he waved a hand across himself, K and C.

"He is right," K said, "If you three want to... question, the bar goers then we can hunt down this Reginald and find out what he knows."

"Excellent," Liarra said, "Just call us if you find anything. I somehow doubt that we will get very far chasing the leads in the bar."

"And yet it might still turn up something useful so we are going to do it," Shepard said with a sigh, "We will meet back up on the Normandy later to go over any leads that might be worth chasing."

K, C, and Wrex nodded before they exited the elevator and headed for the residential districts of the Wards while Shepard, Tali and Liarra headed to the market district.

"Okay this guy's got a pretty impressive flat," Wrex said as he looked over his omni-tool, "Should be pretty easy to find, we can even get a cab ride there."

Thirty minutes and a few credits later the three found themselves outside a large structure that was the residence of Mr. Reginald Vrack. The three looked at each other before C walked up and rang the bell. A moment later and a man appeared on a video screen next to the door.

"May I assist you," the man asked.

"We're here to see Mr. Vrack about a Scorned," C said.

"I see," the man, obviously a butler of some kind, replied. "One moment." The screen went black and a few seconds later the door opened and the well dressed yet stocky butler waved the three inside. "Follow me," the man said before heading down a well lit hall of wood floors and walls and into a spacious living room area where a Batarian stood in front of a virtual fire and was busy looking at files on his omni-tool. "Mr. Vrack some bounty hunters for your Scorned are here."

"Unlikely," Reginald said as the Batarian turned around and looked K, C, and Wrex over with his four eyes. "That post has only been out an hour, a crew like this usually would take twice that much time to mobilize. So I am guessing you three are here for you own reasons and not the bounty on the Scorned's head."

"Correct," K said as he stepped forward, "I'm K, this is my team, I'm interested in the Scorned because they killed one of my Reapers."

"Your Reapers," Reginald asked, "And just how are they yours?"

"Harbinger," K ordered. The massive Reaper descended towards the house so that Reginald could get a good view of it. "Because I am a part of all of them, even the original one which you see before you." Reginald looked from Harbinger to K before nodding and waving the three over to a desk.

"Take a seat then," Reginald said, "It seems we can help each other. You want to know more about the things that can kill your Reapers and I want to make sure that the Scorned I brought to the Citadel does not cause any trouble for me. You take it out and I will give you a copy of all the information I gathered on the creature."

"Sounds like a fair deal," Wrex said.

"It is," Reginald stated, "My operations are far to crucial to a lot of people for this to come back to bite me. I trust you understand me?"

"Perfectly," K said, "Do you have any information on the creature to help us track it down?"

"Other than it likes the dark, the cold, and biotic power enhancers," Reginald said, "I have yet to figure out why they exists or what motivates them to act at all. I had just finished getting readings on the creature as it attempted and eventually succeeded in escaping it's cage those should be finished processing in a day or two but I don't think we have that much time to find the Scorned, It had become violent as it remained trapped and when it ran away it tried to kill Carlos there." Reginald pointed to the butler as he spoke. "I am certain it will try to kill again."

"Then we don't let it do that," C said. "Dark cold places with biotic enhancing compounds laying around I'm sure there are a few places that fit those conditions."

"Smart," Reginald stated as he pulled up a file on his omni-tool, "Here is a list of warehouses near here that match those conditions." Wrex pulled the list up on his omni-tool and nodded to confirm he had it.

"We will speak again Mr. Vrack," K said as the three were led to the exit by Carlos. "Wrex what is the closest of those warehouses to here?"

"One down in the lower markets," Wrex replied as he looked over the list, "It is pretty close to a second one too and Chora's Den. I'll call Shepard tell him to meet us over by the warehouses with whatever information he..." Wrex's omni-tool lit up with an incoming message from Shepard. "Yeah," Wrex answered.

"We've spotted the Scorned it is running into the market district's warehouse section," Shepard said quickly, "See if you can get down here and cut it off it is heading towards..."

"Is it heading to one of Barla Von's warehouses near Chora's Den," Wrex asked.

"Yes, I take it Reginald came through for us," Shepard asked.

"He put a bounty on the creature," Wrex replied as he started running in the direction of the warehouses. "We'll meet you soon." The three soon arrive at a location that was above their intended target. The only problem was that the warehouse was fifty feet straight down. K spotted Shepard, Tali and Liarra entering the district below them and sprinting past some startled workers as they headed towards a building that was hidden under the overhang of the pathways and structures above it.

"Hey Wrex," K asked as he looked over the edge and noticed the various overhangs and platforms that would make for a convenient path down. "How good are you at platforming?"

"I'm better at dropping or falling but I can jump if I need to," Wrex replied as he and C joined K in looking over the edge. "Yeah I see what you're thinking. It could be fun." Wrex then hopped over the railing and dropped ten feet to the roof below them.

"You know we can just jump right," C said.

"Oh yeah," K replied, "lets let the guide get a little closer to the bottom first."

"Come on you two you suggested this idea get a move on haha," Wrex yelled up at them as he jumped to a beam that was about half way down and started running across it to get to his next roof.

"How about now," C asked.

"Okay," K said as the two took a few steps back then ran and vaulted over the edge, falling past the buildings where Wrex was working his way down and landing below him with a resounding thud. "Come on Wrex we're waiting."

"Well I could have done that," Wrex said as he jumped the remaining twelve feet down to them from the building above.

"Wrex, K, C," Tali called from inside the darkened structure ahead of them, "In here."

"This will be interesting," C remarked as the three made their way inside.

Character Gaige

"What's the rush," Gaige asked Ax as the two ran to the bridge on the Hunter.

"We've got an incoming distress signal from Pandora," Ax said, "We may already be to late to stop the invasion."

"Do we even know what is invading," Gaige asked.

"It looks like the demons from Sanctuary," Ax said, "Only much worse, from what the Doctor is forwarding to us it looks like they have been joined by something he called elementals."

"What like creatures of fire, or water, and stuff," Gaige asked.

"Pretty much," Ax said as the two entered the bridge where the rest of the vault Hunters were.

"Ah good you're here," Roland said, "I've almost got this message cleared up enough to be understandable... there we go."

"Lilith," a familiar voice said as the message began to play, "I don't know if you can even get messages from us any more but if you are then Pandora needs you, it needs the Vault Hunters. We are under attack something that is even tearing through the Eridium Guardians, well most of them. Creatures of massive size that spew forth other monsters to tiny imp creatures that swarm entire settlements to beings of pure fire, lightening, ice and who knows what else. If we don't get help then Pandora is going to become a giant tomb. I have to go another attack is incoming, Athena out."

"Athena," Lily stated, "We didn't exactly part on the best of terms if she is asking for my help then this is serious."

"Yeah we did almost get her stuck in a singularity," Roland stated, "You guys got past that?"

"Well with the help of Red," Mordi said, "That Guardian is something else."

"Wait you all worked with an Eridium Guardian," Roland asked, "Man I did miss out on the best parts."

"You ended up with Lily I'd say that is a win," Gaige said, "So are we going to go help them?"

"Yes," Brick said, "We're going to help them. First though we need to do something and it is not going to be pleasant."

"Like what," Maya asked.

"Unlock CL4P-TP's Vault mode," Roland said, "Before you all start asking yes, CL4P-TP was a vault hunter, he helped Athena and Jack after failing to kill us and being reprogrammed. Let's just say he gets even stranger as a Hunter."

Everyone just stared at Roland and his four friends before realizing that they were serious.

"I... I don't, not, what," Gaige stammered. Zero was laughing, Sal's jaw was hanging open, Ax had his face in his hands, Maya sat down and Krieg spoke.

"What. The. Blarg." Krieg stated, "Your telling me that Claptrap is one of us?"

"I understood that," Bloodwing exclaimed.

"That's because this is so ludicrous that you've managed to get my brain and body to work together for a bit," Krieg said, "Claptrap as a Vault Hunter? Insane! I love it like a flaming baby pop-sickle."

"And there he goes again," Maya said, "Still he is right. Claptrap can't even climb stairs. How does he do anything?"

"Well follow us and you will find out," Lily said, "the station is on course for Pandora and Mal is docked and ready to go so we can activate Claptrap while we fly."

"I have got to see this," Gaige said as she snapped out of the mental freeze. "Ax you in?"

"Right behind you," Ax said. "Claptrap actually being able to fight... It might just be crazy enough to win this thing."

"You all find out then," Sal said, "I don't want to be anywhere near that crazy robot if he decides to start shooting the place up."

"Claptrap would you meet us in the AI control room," Roland said into the now working intercoms.

"Righty-ho friend-o," Claptrap replied in his annoyingly cheerful voice, "I'll be there in just a minute."

"Why don't you four go see to Claptrap," Brick said, "We'll stay here and, you know, watch the bridge."

"You big baby," Gaige said as she Ax, Lily and Roland headed out of the bridge and into the elevator to head to AI control. When they arrived Claptrap was waiting by the door for them.

"Hey guys," Claptrap said, "Are you here to brainwash me because I would really hate to get brainwashed."

"No," Roland said, "We're here to unlock some old memories and functions."

"Ah good," Claptrap said, "At least that will only be extremely painful and I won't die as a result!" Claptrap led the four into the AI control room where giant mechanical arms were busy loading AI into Constructor frames for later use by the space station. Claptrap plugged himself into a control panel and waved that he was ready for whatever the four had planned.

"Man he is just so trusting," Ax stated.

"Yeah that is going to go away here in just a second," Lily said as she selected the functions to unlock on Claptrap from the control panel. "let's see aiming, weapons handling, stair climbing, and Vault . Okay lets see what happens."

"Gahgagagagaahhh," Claptrap stammered as sparks flew off of him and he was finally blasted away from the console. The little square unit lay on the floor sparking for a few seconds before picking himself up and spinning in a circle. "I am alive! Oh look at all these new programs... oh this is amazing! I need a weapon, or several, make them big ones, with lots of explosions. Is Mr. Torgue around here?"

"He is going to be joining us once we reach Pandora yes," Roland said.

"Awesome," Claptrap said, "I need to get to the firing range, got a lot of new functions to test out, see you chums later!" Their little yellow friend sped out of the AI core almost running into Moxxi as she came in to see what the commotion was about.

"What is he in such a hurry about," the flamboyant bartender/mechanic asked as she walked into the room. "Oh wait you didn't... you did didn't you?"

"Yeah we did," Gaige said, "Uh why exactly did we do this?"

"Claptrap helped Athena before I want her to have a friendly face so to speak," Roland said.

"So you chose Claptrap," Ax asked.

"He is the only one from Athena's team that wasn't killed okay," Lily said.

"And you think she will be happy to see him," Moxxi asked.

"It will be something she isn't expecting," Roland said, "Of course me being alive again is also probably something she is not expecting."

"Thinking things through is really not our strong suit," Gaige stated, "we just kinda go for it."

"That is evident sweetheart," Moxxi said as she walked out of the room.

"Yeah she approves," Lily said, "that's her approving swagger, if Mox was mad she would be stomping out of here."

"Hey guys," Maya called, "Torgue HQ just flew past us should we race him?"

"Why not," Roland said, "we need to get to Pandora as soon as we can."

"Hold on then," Maya warned, "I'm letting Krieg take the controls."

The four grabbed a hold of the nearest object that was bolted down or otherwise secure from moving before the Hunter lurched forward as Krieg set the space station to overdrive. The race through hyper-space continued for ten arm straining minutes before the Hunter barely beat Torgue HQ out of the flight lanes and emerged above the sky of Pandora.

"Upside down sea monkey buses," Krieg yelled over the intercoms causing Gaige to cover her ears as the comms system emitted a high pitched beep from being over loaded.

"Ow," Gaige said as she rubbed the side of her face, "Smacked myself with my own robot arm."

"Mordi get a message to Pandora, see if Athena is still down there," Roland said, "Come on everyone lets get to the Serenity."

"Claptrap meet us on the Serenity," Lily said as the four made their way out of the AI control room and towards the hangars.

"Rodger that," Claptrap answered.

Gaige checked to make sure that DT was ready to summon as they entered the Serenity's hangar.

"Roland, Lilith," G greeted, "Couldn't pass up this besides with Jayne sticking with Weiss now Mal needs a good gun hand."

"G," Roland returned the greeting before wrapping the slightly smaller man in a hug. "N with you too?"

"Yes she is aboard Serenity talking with River and Kaylee," G replied as he hugged Lily, "So we hear you've got a friend or two on the surface, ready to go save them?"

"You know it," Lily said, "Hey does Mal have room for one more?"

"Probably," G said, "Who is it?"

"CL4P-TP reporting in," Claptrap said as he entered the hangar, "Oh a cargo bay, I'll just fit into a place in there." The robot rolled past the five as he sandwiched himself between some crates and closed up.

"Oh," G said, "Not my first choice you know."

"Mine either," Ax agreed.

"Trust us he is more helpful than he looks," Lily said, "Come on we can't stand around here all day we have a planet to save."

"That we do little lady," Mal said as he walked to the edge of the hatch to Serenity's cargo bay, "Time to leave, get in." The five ran up the ramp which Mal closed behind them as the Serenity took off and headed from the hangar on the Hunter to the floating city of Sanctuary.

"You can land on top of Scooter's garage," Roland said to Mal, "it is big enough and he is not using it." Mal relayed the info to Wash who expertly put them down on the building.

"Alright come on time to see what is going on down here," Gaige said as the hatch for the cargo bay opened up. Below them was a small gathering of people, all Crimson Raiders from the look of them. Standing in front of the roughly twenty mercs was Athena in her red cape and armor with that stern expression on her face that meant she was not going to take any foolishness. Beside the tall, powerful woman was Red, the Eridium Guardian. The curving, flowing, construct looked between Athena and the Serenity. Athena nodded and then waved for Gaige and the others to come down.

"Athena," Roland said as he jumped off the roof of Scooter's garage and landed in front of the gladiator/assassin.

"Roland," Athena said, "I thought you were dead. What happened?"

"It's a long story," Claptrap said as he landed beside Gaige and Ax, "But we're back in business!" He brought up a bazooka to demonstrate his point.

"You unlocked his AI," Athena asked, "Are you trying to get me to stab you?"

"I don't believe there is any need for that," Red said as her voice flowed across the air, "They have returned to help and with some extra hands as well."

"Red is right," Gaige said, "we got your distress call and came as soon as we could."

"Distress call," Athena muttered, "That was almost a year ago, the planet below is almost completely dominated by monsters."

"A whole year," Lily asked, "We just picked it up about an hour ago."

"We did not send any distress calls," Red said, "If you received one then it was from another source not from Sanctuary."

"So if you guys didn't send it," Mal asked, "Who did?"

"Maybe the locals," Zoe said.

"What the demons would send a message to get themselves killed off," Kaylee asked.

"Or to lure in those that would kill them," N said.

"Well they have done a good job of it then," River said as she dropped from the Serenity to the ground with a pair of axes.

"You all are here to fight them aren't you," Athena said, "I had honestly given up on taking back Pandora but with all of you and those ships... I don't think I've ever been so glad to see Helios in orbit."

"It's the Hunter now," Roland said, "But I can see how it would be a moral booster."

"Does the Hunter still produce those combat loaders," Athena asked.

"It does," Ax said, "And they are outfitted with Torgue's top of the line weapons."

"A lot of mechs and a lot of explosions," Athena mused, "I always did like your style. Red let's get the Guardians activated again."

"We will need to activate the Vault that controls them," Red said, "It is surrounded by a sea of those demons and elementals."

"Well as Brick would say," Gaige started. "I punch it."

"The others are on the space station I assume," Red said.

"They are," Roland said, "Once we have a location to drop them off they will join us via the supply cannon."

"Hold on you actually use that thing on a regular basis to shoot your friends into battle," Athena asked.

"Oh yeah it is great fun," Gaige said.

"How is it that you all leave a planet of crazy people only to return even crazier than the inhabitants," Athena asked, "All of you new people will have to introduce yourselves as we get the chance right now we have to start planning on gaining control of the Eridium Guardians."

"Okay so where do we go to do that," Mal asked. "I'm Malcolm by the way, owner of the fine ship Serenity that is docked on your building."

"Good, we may have need of your services then," Athena said, "The Fast Travel network across the planet is disabled so we will have to go in by foot, or in this case ship." Gaige flopped down on the old couch in the Crimson Raider HQ where she and Ax would crash after a busy day. Ax joined her on their old seat. Athena pulled up the world map on the display in the middle of the room. "Sanctuary is currently floating above the ocean here," Athena said as she indicated their position on the map. "The vault that controls the Guardians is here about a thousand miles away." She moved her hand across the globe to the position of the vault. Gaige sat up and looked over the region that was being indicated.

"Hey that looks like the swamp where we went hunting with Sir Hammerlock," Gaige stated, "I don't recall seeing any vaults there."

"It is there," Red said, "sealed away deep beneath the ground. I happen to have a key to open it."

"You happen to have or you are," Lily asked.

"Perceptive," Red answered.

"I guess it does help to have a Guardian on our side," Gaige said. "So if you can get us in and we know where it is why are we waiting around here?"

"We're not," Athena said, "Malcolm if we can use your ship?"

"Normally that would cost you," Mal said, "But I'll make an exception."

"Once we get to the vault we will signal for the others to join us," Roland said.

"I warn you the resistance will be at the entrance to the vault," Red said, "Most of your team will want to maintain a defensive line there. Lilith you will want to come in with us, you're a Siren you can activate the vault's functions. I would suggest bringing Maya as well."

"So if Maya, Krieg, Lily and Roland go into the vault with you we can lock down the entrance," Ax said as the group headed back to Serenity.

"Jayne, throw us down a... oh right, Jayne isn't with us," Mal said, "Derrial, hey Shepard, can you throw us a rope?"

"I think we can do better than that," Derrial replied, "Give us just a second." A few moments later and the cargo net came falling out of the hold and Book was waving for them all to grab on. "Just be careful to stay on top so that you don't get hit up against the hull."

Gaige climbed all the way to the top of the net and grabbed a hold of the rope. Ax was behind her and the rest were spread out on the net wherever they could find a grip. Roland used some of his Leviathan traits to jump back into the ship, Red flew up and Lily phase-walked into the Serenity but the rest of the team had to ride up on the net.

"Show offs," Gaige said to her three friends.

"It is not showing off if it is something you can do naturally," Red countered, "I can fly you can breath and smell. In some instances your natural ability to detect odor is more useful than my ability to fly and in others mine is more useful. Do not make the mistake of discounting either ability."

"Glad to have you back Red," Gaige said with a laugh.

"Athena, right," Mal said, "Come to the bridge we will need you to navigate us to this vault. Red you might want to come too."

"Right behind you," Athena said as she and Red followed Mal out of the cargo bay.

"So," Ax asked Gaige as Roland called their friends on the Hunter to relay the plan, "Do you ever get tired of saving this planet?"

"I think the question is do I ever get tired of the constant action," Gaige said. "I'll admit I do at times. Before DC I threw myself into the fray because there was always the chance I wouldn't make it out. I had lost my family, my home, everything. Then you happened. I still loved the adventure, the fights, especially the loot, but I also knew you had my back and that we would make it out of whatever situation we found ourselves in. Now though, we don't need the loot, not with the equipment DC has. Every battle still has the chance that one of us could die, I've got, you, I've got Dad, I even know what happened to Mom, I don't want to loose this." Gaige had made her way to a crate by the stairs that led up to the rest of Serenity and had sat down on it as she spoke. She reached out and grabbed Ax's hand that he wore their engagement ring on and Gaige spun it around on his finger. "I don't want to loose you."

"You won't loose me," Ax said as he sat down next to Gaige, "With as many people in DC who have either died and come back to life, or who were dead and came back because of something we did, I think the worst either of us would have to deal with is just waiting for the other to come back."

"Well when you put it that way," Gaige said as she played with her own engagement ring, "I am pretty good at waiting."

"Which is totally out of character with your anarchist persona," Ax remarked.

"Speaking of anarchy," Gaige said as she jumped up from the box, "What do you say we throw that net out of the hold and hang onto it while we are flying so we can blast a bunch of these demons from the sky?"

"If there are any of the flying ones like we've fought before then someone will have to defend this ship," Ax stated with a grin, "Lets go." Several button presses and a few minutes later and Gaige and Ax were hanging just under and behind the Serenity with Ax's turrets magnetically attached to the sides of the ship and Deathtrap floating behind them as the two rained down rockets and gun fire on the demons below them and the few that ventured into the air to attack them.

Character Blake

"So this is Moscow," Blake asked as the team walked down the streets of the city towards the capital to see what the situation was in regards to the cyborg Grimm that were encroaching on the city. The temperature was so cold that even Sun was wrapped up in a brown trench coat, the entire team was geared for the cold weather of the area they were working in. Blake had a full length, black, leather trench coat with a hood. Weiss was in a business style white trench coat, Jayne was in his thick winter gear. Yang wore a brown duster style over coat, Junior sported a handsome, black, leather coat. Lao was wearing a gray wool coat, Summer was in a white cloak. Ruby was in her red cloak, Scooter had a nice fur coat and hat. Vince and Carl were wrapped up in as many scarves as they could fit on over their coats. Lastly Carter and Cloak had their Spartan suits which provided them plenty of protection from the cold.

"Yes it is," Carter said, "Now this is not an Earth that we are known in yet so let's tread lightly if we can."

"Says the Leviathan in a two ton super suit," Lao stated, his breath making puffs of vapor as he spoke.

"Don't you have Vertigo," Cloak asked.

"Yes," Lao replied. "Yes I do."

"We all did pretty well in concealing our weapons," Blake said, "You two will get most of the scrutiny from any patrols or security we have to go through."

"Remind me again why you want us to come along with you," Yang asked.

"Because you are experts at killing both Grimm and robots," Cloak said, "These cyborgs are a blend of the two so you all are the natural choice to fight them."

"Makes sense," Jayne said as the group moved from the ally they were walking through to one of the main streets that led to the offices of the Russian government. Blake noticed the looks that the people on the street gave them as the group past but also noted that everyone was wise enough to mind their own business and not call the team out.

"I guess no one is worried about us with the Grimm around," Ruby said.

"Or they have people to deal with groups like us," Blake said.

"See s-sunshine and r-rainbows again," Sun chattered through the cold.

"Are you really that cold man," Carl asked, "Cause I can let you borrow a scarf if you need it." Sun nodded and took one of the scarves from Carl before quickly wrapping it around his neck and head. Blake smiled, she had warned her husband that he didn't know how to dress for the cold. Sun gave her a sheepish look and shrugged. It was moments like this when Blake wanted to wrap Sun in a hug, but it is hard to walk and hug at the same time so they continued on to the door of the Russian White House. The building was large with at least twenty stories and sat beside a pond that was across the street from the door. Carter signaled for everyone to wait in the lobby of the building as he and Cloak went to talk with one of the people working the front desks.

Blake watched as Cloak took her helmet off and conversed with the woman at the desk. Blake shifted her hood so that it funneled the sound from Cloak and the receptionist's conversation to her ears.

"We know that there are creatures nipping at your borders," Cloak was saying, "You can see that we are able to fight these things back, we just need to know who to talk to."

"I can't help you," the receptionist said, "The Prime Minister locked down all information about those creatures just a few days ago. No one apart from the people he appoints to investigate the matter is allowed to see the information or communicate with those working on the project."

"Then we need an appointment with the Prime Minister," Carter said.

"You certainly seem honest in your desire to help with these creatures but I can not arrange an appointment for you, it is beyond what I am able to do," the receptionist said, "I wish you luck in gaining the Prime Minister's attention. If something isn't done about these creatures soon..."

"We understand," Carter said to cut Cloak off from pushing the subject further, "We will see what we can do."

While Blake had been listening in to the conversation, Sun had come up behind her and wrapped Blake in a hug. Blake relaxed a little and leaned back against Sun. She hadn't noticed that she had been tensing up as she listened to the conversation that Carter and Cloak had with the woman a the desk.

"You're trying to hard again," Sun whispered to her, "Let the Spartans do their thing. Then we can do ours."

"In case you haven't noticed they are not the most diplomatic people we know of," Blake replied, "If we are not allowed to go clear out these Grimm then who knows how many will die to them."

"Come on," Carter said as he and Cloak rejoined the team, "We need to find a way to get the Prime Minister's attention. Any ideas?"

Yang started to raise her hand but Blake quickly grabbed her partner's arm and whispered, "We're not blowing anything up."

"Well it works," Yang huffed as she changed from raising her hand to fluffing her hair.

"Why waste time with the Prime Minister," Vince asked, "there has got to be an underground network here that would also have information on these Grimm."

"I'm sure they would," Junior said, "but what would be their cost for information?"

"We won't know unless we ask," Lao said, "it is worth a shot right?"

"If they have information then the Prime Minister's lock down on the subject will make it very expensive," Summer stated, "I don't like the idea of giving any criminal organization a lot of support."

"What if we kill two birds with one stone," Weiss said, "We find out if there are any undergrounds that have information then we take it from them. These people get one less criminal faction to deal with and we can clear out the Grimm."

"Weiss," Ruby started but Scooter cut her off.

"Snow Angle is right Rosy Cheeks," Scooter said causing both women to face palm at the nick names, "If I learned anything from your planet it's that these Grimm don't usually wait around real long. The underground is the best place to get information and you might find that they are not as bad as the name makes them out to be."

"It is a lead we can follow while trying to come up with a way to get the Prim Minister's information at least," Blake said, "it can't be less productive than standing around here. Don't you all look at me. I am not going to do all the talking."

"No that should probably be me," Carter said, "After all the less attention we draw to you two the better off we all will be."

"Thank you," Sun said for himself and Blake as he let her go and the team exited the building. "And there is the cold again."

"We should look for a local club or something," Vince said, "That will be our most likely place to find connections to the underground." Everyone looked over at Junior at the mention of a club.

"What it's not like I notice every one that we passed," Junior said then after a few seconds of silence, "Well I did catch a sign that had a martini on it in neon lights when we came down the street."

"That's my man," Yang stated proudly, "Always keeping an eye on things."

Blake couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face as her best friend completely embarrassed Junior and set up for Carl to make a 'keeping an eye on you' joke. The club was on the corner of the street one road down from the one that they came from on their way in. The inside was dim and a low techno style music could be heard upon entering the club. Carter went to speak with the man behind the bar while the rest of the team took their seats at a couple of the tables. A waiter came by the tables and Weiss, Jayne and Junior ordered drinks. Blake once again arranged her hood so she could hear the conversation between Carter and the bartender.

"What are they saying," Sun asked.

"I don't know yet," Blake replied as she touched a finger to his lips, "I can't hear them over you." Returning her attention to the conversation at the bar, Blake began to pick up on the topic of conversation.

"We hear there are monsters hanging around the city," Carter was saying, "We're monster hunters maybe we can help each other out?"

"Maybe," the lanky bar tender said, "But the information you're looking for is held by a really powerful syndicate leader. He goes by Critical, it will take a lot of grease just to let you talk with him."

"What kind of grease," Carter asked.

"Word is, Critical is looking to move a fairly large amount of goods through the system but the other syndicates and gangs will try to steal it for themselves. I can get word to a guy who will let you and your gang take care of the product as it moves then, maybe, you will get a chance to speak with Critical," the bar man said. "Are you paying for your friends?"

Carter looked over his shoulder to see who had ordered what and nodded that he would. Blake sighed as Carter left the bar a few Rubles poorer.

"Well," Yang asked.

"Sounds like we are going to be protecting a shipment for a mob boss," Blake said with disgust. "I don't like this."

"None of us do," Sun said, "But we've got to clear out those Grimm before they attack. This city doesn't have anything that would be able to stop them if they did. Well other than us."

"That's not exactly true," Junior said, "They have tanks and such I'm sure."

"And those will do what against cybernetically enhanced Grimm," Blake asked, "Sure they could kill them but only after far to many in this city die."

"Look we don't have to like it we just have to do it," Junior stated, "We come here, stop the Grimm and get back home."

"Come on," Carter said as he walked past, "We've got our in with Critical, the guy who has the information we need."

"I hope it is worth it," Yang stated as the team left the club. Carter led them through a rich section of the city to a posh store that advertised fine china. Carter entered the store and returned a few minutes later. They then proceeded to the rear of the store where they met up with a regal looking man in a fine fur coat and hat.

"So you are the guards for Critical's shipment," the man asked, "Good, I'm Joseph the driver for the truck you see behind me. We are ready to go as soon as you are. I just need to open the hatch to the subway system." The truck was an armored transport, most likely stolen from a security firm or the military. It was painted in all black with dark tinted windows and no markings or plate.

"Wait you're driving a truck through a subway," Weiss asked, "Is that not dangerous?"

"Or traingerous," Yang added.

This caused Joseph to laugh, "Ah ha I like this one, always looks for some humor. Yes it is dangerous but not due to trains. This section was closed down years ago. Now it is a hot spot for thieves and gangs to funnel goods and steal them from their rivals. That's why you are here, keep our rivals off the goods."

"How do you recommend we do that," Summer asked.

"I usually just at shoot everything that gets close to us," Joseph replied.

"I like this guy," Jayne said, "We think the same."

"Lets just get this over with," Ruby said, "Maybe no one will try to stop us if we all have our weapons ready."

"You mean scare them," Joseph said, "Kid these people are not afraid of guns."

"How about this," Ruby said as she planted the tip of Crescent Rose in the ground.

Joseph looked over the weapon and Ruby again before asking, "You all have equipment like this?"

"Most of us yes," Yang said as she activated Ember Celica.

"Hmm. Okay we'll try it your way kid," Joseph said.

"And I'm not a kid," Ruby snapped.

"All right geeze sorry, you just look really young," Joseph said, "Just display your weapons as we move through the tunnels maybe it will be enough to make these guys down here think twice." Blake drew Gambol Shroud but left the katana and gun part attached to the sheath just in case things did go bad and she needed to have some surprises left. She and Sun took up a position on the right flank of the truck.

"Okay, I'll go slow so you all can keep up," Joseph said, "Just don't let anyone get inside this truck."

"We can do that," Carter said from the front of the truck, "Also you probably don't want to run into us since that would total the truck."

"Those armored suits that powerful huh," Joseph stated as he drove the truck into the tunnel after Carter and Cloak. As the group proceeded in the opening behind them closed up once again concealing the entrance to the old subway system. Blake was not bothered by the darkness and between the lights on the truck and Carter and Cloak's suits the rest of the group was able to see in the gloom of the tunnels. After about ten minutes they emerged from the side passage they had been in to the main train tracks which were still lit with the power from the city.

"Okay people this is the main passage. Any difficulty we will have is going to be through here," Joseph said. This statement was redundant since Blake had already noticed several groups of thugs that had started moving towards them. Once the gangs got close enough however to get a good view of the team they just stopped and watched as the truck passed. "We've only got one more side tunnel to pass before we can get out of here and distribute this," Joseph said, "This will be the tricky bit."

"Why is that," Blake asked.

"Because they have a gate in the form of an eighteen wheeler," Joseph replied, "We will have to stop."

"Thus giving these guys time to line up shots at us," Lao said, "Great."

"How about we just blow up their truck," Junior said.

"Have you seen these tunnels," Weiss said, "you would probably cause a cave in."

"Unlikely," Joseph said, "These tunnels were built to withstand nuclear attacks."

"Why don't we try talking our way through first," Ruby suggested.

"If these guys were willing to let people through they wouldn't block off the passage," Jayne replied.

"How about we let them block it and then I unblock it," Scooter said as his truck-armor digi-structed around him.

"A good punch from you might move the truck enough to let us pass," Carter said, "Okay you get to take the front then."

Blake took a glance back down the tunnel as the team stopped to switch positions. She thought she caught a flicker of movement in one of the side tunnels. "What is it," Sun asked, he must have caught her focused facial expression as Blake searched for the source of the movement.

"I thought I saw something moving," Blake said as she pushed her hood back to allow her cat ears to pick up on any noise that came up for the passages behind them. "We might have a few followers." Sun switched Ruyi and Jingu Bang to their nun-chuck form as the team proceeded towards the last side tunnel. Sure enough as they got closer a large tractor trailer pulled out of the side tunnel and blocked the way forward.

"Hold up there for a second," said a large, bald man with a chain-gun. "Anything that warrants this much protection has got to be worth a look. If Critical want's to use our tunnels then he is going to have to start paying and he has a large back log of payments to make." The man was joined by another forty or so as he was talking. Blake noticed at least three RPGs being carried by the group, she updated the team's omni-tools with the locations of the RPGs. A noise from behind her made Blake turn around in time to see at least another forty thugs making their way down the tunnel towards the team. Upon being seen one of the approaching gang members opened fire on Blake. Blake used her Semblance to leave a copy of herself that took the bullets while she jumped into the air and used Gambol Shroud's gun mode to counter attack the approaching mob.

"I punch it," Scooter yelled as he ran forward and punched the truck out of the way. Weiss used her glyphs to deflect the rockets that were aimed at Scooter, Carter and Cloak, and the truck, Ruby and Jayne took out the RPGs while the rest of the team engaged the force that was in front of them. Yang and Junior were beside Blake and Sun at the back of the truck. The four were dodging or deflecting a rain of bullets from the flanking gang members but were also dealing out more that they were receiving. Besides what bullet can compare with flame gauntlets, a multi-rocket launcher, Sun's copies of himself, Blake's decoy and her bullet blocking sheath.

"Move it the truck is out of the way," Carl yelled.

Blake felt Ruby's speed semblance wash over her and noticed that Weiss had put a time glyph down on her, Yang, Sun and Junior.

"Run for it," Blake yelled. The four of them took off after the truck that was already heading down the tunnel. To their attackers it must have looked like the four just vanished as Blake and her team caught up to the truck in less than a second. Looking back Blake saw the flaming wreckage of the tractor trailer and bloody corpses strewn across the tunnel. "They couldn't have just let us through could they?"

"They would have had to have some sense to let us go," Yang said, "Now they don't have to worry about it." Blake could tell that Yang was angry but, if it was because the goons tried to kill them or they had to kill the goons was hard to tell.

"Well that went well," Joseph remarked a few minutes later as they pulled into a side tunnel and emerged in a warehouse.

"Sure, except for the firefight," Vince said, "Can't we find a job that goes smoothly?"

"Well hiccups or no we're through and these meds can get delivered," Joseph said, "I hear you all are looking for those mechanical beasts that are ravaging our borders. I'll tell you what I know."

"Wait meds," Blake asked, "you are smuggling medicine?"

"That's why they call me Critical," Joseph said with a smirk, "I am the lifeline for many of the poor in this city. You wouldn't know it from visiting the tourist spots and capital buildings but most of these people don't even know where their next meal is coming from. I bring in what supplies I can steal and deliver it to the various distribution chains in the districts."

"You're Critical," Weiss stated skeptically as she looked over the skinny man.

"In the flesh," Joseph replied, "Now do you want to know where those beasts are hold up or not?"

"Tell us everything," Summer said, "And quickly, should the Grimm attack the city these people will need a lot more than your help."

"Easier to show you," Joseph said as he walked them over to a table with maps laid out on it. "We are here," he said as he indicated a building on the map. "The city limits start here," Joseph continued as he moved his finger to a red line that was, based on the scale of the map, five miles away. "Those, Grimm, as you called them yes? They were last spotted here, in Losinyy Ostrov park."

The team studied the map for a few minutes. "That is a lot of forest," Blake stated.

"Yeah it will be like when we first explored the Emerald Forest back home," Ruby said, "Except with cyborg Grimm that want to eat us instead of just... regular Grimm."

"Whatever you plan I wish you luck," Joseph said, "and if you all ever need a place to hide just duck into one of my shelters they're the blue marks on the map. With ears like those you've got little Miss you may just need to." Blake flipped her hood back up before scanning the map into her omni-tool and thanking Joseph for the information as the team headed out of the warehouse and towards the park.

Character Arbiter

The Pestilence came into orbit above Sanghelios and Arbiter looked down upon his planet for the first time in many years. Thel recognized the continents as the clouds moved by across the world. Yermo, the largest of the scattered land masses was the center of attention for Arbiter. Vadam Keep, the nerve center of the planet was just north of the desert that covered most of the continent's interior. That was their destination.

"Arbiter," Doug said.

"Doug," Arbiter replied.

"Rtas Vadum sends his greetings," Doug said, "We are clear to dock in ten minutes. Just waiting for a passenger vessel to move out of the flight path."

"It will be good to see him again," Arbiter said, "It has been almost thirty years since we last met."

"I feel I will need to apologize to him when we land," Doug said, "I did not believe him when he said he would arrange for me to find sanctuary here..."

"We are Sangheili," Arbiter said, "We honor our word. Take us in friend, let us see what we are up against."
"I detect no Sith ships in orbit," Doug said, "They have either been driven away or they have control of the planet. If so then your friend may be being forced to deceive us into landing in a trap."

"Do you know the best way to nullify a trap," Arbiter said, "Trigger it before it is ready to be sprung, don't wait for that ship to move." The Pestilence speed up and entered the atmosphere, Rtas sent a message which Arbiter declined to pick up. Once they broke through the clouds the Sith fleet was visible as it tried to take off. "Doug destroy these ships and trace that signal to see where Rtas is being held, have the Spartans follow me in. I'm going to save my friend."

"What about the Force," Doug asked.

"I'll deal with it," Arbiter replied as he ran to get into a drop pod. A few minutes and a button press later and he was falling through the air and crashing through the roof of the keep. Arbiter killed two Sith trooper that were coming to investigate with the door of the drop pod. "Doug do you know where Rtas is?"

"He is located somewhere at the top of the keep you should be able to find the security door and figure it out from there," Doug replied, "I can not get a better fix on him since we have no more communication from him and the Sith are trying to jam my comms."

"He is on my level," Arbiter stated, "That is all I need to know." Thel had been to Vadam Keep many times before. In fact he was first appointed as Admiral in this building. Needless to say he knew exactly where anyone would keep prisoners on this level, the hardened superstructure that supported the central spire. Luckily the walls around the area were not immune to being cut through by energy swords. Unluckily the walls were also not immune to lightsabers. Arbiter had to jump back from the wall as a saber stuck out of it, almost impaling him. A moment later the wall exploded outward as a Sith lord walked out. Arbiter got to his feet and faced the man. Though smaller than Arbiter the Sith was still the most dangerous opponent Arbiter had ever faced one on one. The mask prevented Arbiter from watching his opponent's eyes to see where a strike would come from, the armor on the Sith provided an energy shield that could probably deflect a hit or two from the energy swords, the Force was a major threat and yet the Sith had made one mistake, he let Thel see that Rtas was still alive inside the room along with plenty of the Sangheili from the keep.

"This is the Raven reporting in," Shade's voice echoed across all comm units, "We have lost control of the ship and are on course for the spaceport by the large structure north of a massive desert, if anyone is down there prepare for a rough landing!"

"The Raven is here," the Sith commented, creating enough of an opening for Arbiter to get the first strike of the duel. As he expected the strike was deflected by the armor and shields, however the sparking of the armor suggested that the shield had been breached already.

The Sith countered with a flurry of strikes that Arbiter blocked but the Force push was not something Arbiter could defend against. Knocked into the wall behind him Arbiter was barely able to roll out of the way of another string of attacks from his robed opponent. Deciding that offense was better than defense in this case Arbiter began his own string of attacks against the Sith. The two traded blows for several seconds before backing off. The Sith was hesitant to use the force it seemed, maybe because he was using it to match the strength behind Thel's blows.

This theory was proved wrong a few seconds later as the objects in the room began to fly towards Thel. He sliced each improvised projectile as it came at him, everything from chairs to ceremonial spears and even a painting. The Sith snarled at his inability to throw Arbiter off his form and a burst of lightening shot from his hands. Arbiter blocked the stream with his swords but this left the Sith free to move in and finished the job with his saber. Arbiter kicked a piece of a chair at the oncoming Sith which cause him to redirect the lightening to knock the chair away, lighting it on fire in the process.

"Enough," the Sith bellowed as Arbiter got crushed against a wall.

"I don't think so," Rtas said as the Ship Master brandished the head of one of the spears that Thel cut off earlier.

"Persistent," the Sith said, "Such anger. I will enjoy killing you all slowly." He then lifted Rtas off the ground rendering both friends helpless. That was when the roof exploded. The Sith refocused to divert the roof from falling on him, Rtas scrambled back to avoid being crushed and Thel dove to the side to avoid the debris.

Looking over to the Sith as he got up Arbiter saw another Sith, garbed in red and black robes with white armor plating, standing in the room facing off with the first one. This new Sith was taller than the first one but still shorter than the Arbiter, since most Sangheili grow to around eleven feet tall. From the back Arbiter couldn't make out much more about this new Sith other than it was not attacking him or Rtas so must not be friendly to the invading Sith forces.

"You," the first Sith lord stated after a few moments.

"Embrace the ending you were dealt," the second Sith snarled as he drew his lightsaber and advanced on the first one.

"I know those words," Arbiter muttered, "Adam? The Raven of course." Arbiter grabbed his energy swords and moved up to the new Sith's side. Rtas was making his way back towards the first Sith with a few more freed captives that had grabbed pieces of the ceremonial weaponry.

"Doug we have control," Shade said, "We will stick around to help you all out if you don't mind."

"Not at all," Doug replied.

"You guys are on open comms you know," Arizona said as she and the Spartans of Project Freelancer busted through the ceiling.

"At this point I don't think we care," Maven said, "Just deal with anything you find down there and we can sweep up the leftovers."

The Sith lord was completely surrounded at this point but he seemed more annoyed than concerned, even with Adam, or at least Arbiter thought it was Adam, using the Force to counter the attacks that the Sith made. Arizona's chain gun however caused the Sith to duck out a window and take off down a street.

"Coward," Rtas exclaimed at the retreating Sith forces. "Arbiter, you and your friends' arrival is most timely."

"Rtas," Thel greeted, "Are you all okay, when did this happen?"

"Just a few hours ago," the Ship Master answered, "I suspect that they hit here hardest but probably have outposts throughout the world. I will be a little sore tomorrow and probably for a few days after that but I should be fine, I wish I could say the same for some of the others here..."

"Their spirits will know justice," the new Sith said in a deep, gravely, voice as he turned from the window to face them. The face Arbiter saw before him was Adam's but it was twisted instead of having to wear a Grimm mask, or Darth Revan's mask this Adam from the fallen Remnant had a face that looked like a Grimm's face, one of the smaller variants with lots of teeth that appeared similar to a Beowolf's. "When we end those who ended them. I am Finis, before you ask yes I am the counter part to Adam from my world, but I am not anything like him. I have watched Adam and he is a being that is truly unique to his world, he has no true counterpart, I simply look somewhat like him and lived a similar life on Remnant, but nothing I have can make up for the essence from which Adam was formed. That said I am still plenty powerful enough to squash these Sith traitors, either they follow Adam or they die those are their options. I prefer that they choose this one."

With that Finis jumped out of the window to chase down the other Sith lord. Leaving the Spartans, Rtas, Thel and the now free captives to finish clearing out the keep by themselves. "Alright then lets go shoot some bad guys," Sarge declared as he pumped his shotgun.

"Wait you hadn't even loaded that yet," Church asked, "What if we would have had to shoot this guy?"

"Then I would have looked awesome doing it," Sarge said, "Arbiter show us where to go, oh and hello to all of you as well." Sarge directed the last phrase at Rtas and the other Sangheili in the room.

"Spartans," Rtas remarked, "I guess you really did seal your alliance with them."

"And Doug, the Gravemind," Arbiter added.

"Yes he is the ship you came in on," Rtas said as he directed the other Sangheili to various parts of the keep. "Honestly I didn't expect to be hosting him but I also did not expect these invaders."

"They are called Sith," Tex said, "Some of them work for us some of them work against us. They seem to be two warring factions, those that follow Revan, a man we know as Adam and those who follow our enemy Magog."

"Touchy subject then," Rtas stated, "Well whatever their, somewhat questionable motives, may be if your Sith friends help us clear our home, we would be grateful." Rtas was looking out the window where Finis had run off to as he said this.

"Some of them need a little more time to adjust than others," Thel said to comfort his friend, "They joined us not more than six months ago."

"Of course," Rtas said, "Come on we should head to the communications network terminal first, we can organize the counter attack from there." A juggernaut from of Doug's biomass landed in the room as the team was about to head out.

"I haven't missed much have I dear," Doug asked Arizona.

"Just Finis jumping out a window to kill any Sith in his path," Arizona said, "We'll tell you about him later. Hey you can counter that Force magic or whatever it is that these guys do right?"

"Yes," Doug replied as Rtas unlocked the elevator door on the other side of the room that he and the other hostages were kept in.

"We can all get in," Rtas said, "This is a cargo elevator, rated up to a hundred million tons."

"That is enough to lift a small ship," Arbiter remarked, "You must have renovated in my absence."

"Something like that," Rtas said as the group got in the massive, circular, elevator and started down, "The Keep has been reconfigured underground so that it is actually the tip of an inter galactic cruiser, this elevator is designed to be able to launch our Banshees and Phantoms."

"It looks like you plan on launching several at a time then," Grif said, "I've been in some of those Phantoms, they are pretty big."

"Are we going to launch these ships," Arbiter asked.

"Yes," Rtas said, "I sealed off the entrance to the ship below us and the Sith have been trying to get in for a while now, but the warriors of the Penance are the best on the planet. I know they will be ready to fight once we get a clear path way open for them. Thus the communication network."

"Of course! We tell them the launch pad is clear and they can start blasting these Sith invaders from the sky," Sigma said as the elevator stopped, "It seems the Sith made it in however."

Arbiter looked towards the door to see that Sith forces were massing outside a room that was being cut into by a Sith master. "Kill them all," Arbiter stated as he cloaked and moved through the unsuspecting troops. His energy sword found it's mark in the Sith master's chest as the rest of the team opened fire on the unwary troops.

"Are there any more," South asked as she reloaded her SMGs.

"I don't detect any around at the moment," Theta answered.

"AI as well," Rtas asked Arbiter as the two opened the door to the comms room.

"Yes," Arbiter replied. "They are quite friendly actually, Cortana is among them too, she controls an entire army of robots as well."

"Truly? Where is her army then," Rtas asked.

"Being built now actually," Doug said, "Cortana commands an Armored Command Unit capable of constructing a whole army in a matter of minutes. It has been about half an hour so she is probably about to roll out the troops."

"Good timing then," Simmons said, "While you two have been chit chatting I got into the comms array and told the crew of the Penance that they were clear to use the elevator to launch their ships."

"Really," Rtas asked, "That channel was triple encrypted!"

"Yeah well I'm just good with computers," Simmons replied. "So what do we do now?"

"I will stay here and monitor the comms," Rtas said, "You all get inside and get in a Phantom. We have an infestation to wipe out."

"We will stay here to keep this station secure," Arizona said as she and Doug stepped up to the door.

"Thank you," Rtas said, "Thel, I am requesting a Scarab for you and a team to pilot. The rest of you all will be in heavy Phantoms."

"Yeah that's right run," Johnson's voice came through the comms, "Chief, Cortana are you sure this is a war it feels more like a picnic."

"Sounds like Cortana has rolled out the welcome wagon," Arbiter said, "Church, Tex, Tucker, Jr., Caboose, lets go get us a Scarab." The named teammates gathered around Arbiter as he led them out of the comms room and deeper into the underground ship.

"I can't believe I'm back here," Jr. said as the group ran along the hallways. "When Dad adopted me I never thought I would see Sanghelios again. Yet here I am, with the Arbiter of our entire race, fighting a foe we could never have foreseen, in a ship that is underground."

"Such is the way of our organization it seems," Arbiter said as the team entered the vehicle bay. "Oh... that is improved." The Scarab was a much more advanced version of the ones that were used in the Covenant War. Sporting six legs, each with mounted plasma turrets, a double stacked AA cannon and a miniaturized glassing beam as it's primary cannon, this Scarab was far more powerful than anything Arbiter had driven before.

"The armor is heavier on it," Church remarked, "Record would indicate that Scarabs had a weak point in the back. That doesn't exists on this version. Probably a prototype if I were to guess."

"Rtas do you want us to take the advanced Scarab," Arbiter asked.

"Of course I want you to," Rtas replied, "I need to see how it preforms and I can't think of a better pilot for it than you... well maybe me but I am a little busy right now coordinating a planet wide retaliation. Now get out there and help me clean this mess up."

"He can be bossy when he's angry," Caboose remarked, "I don't like him when he is angry."

"Rtas might be hard to deal with at times but he always gets the job done," Arbiter said, "Come on who wants to get onto that Scarab first?"

"Dibs," Jr. said as the group boarded the Scarab.

"Then get into the control room," Arbiter said, "Once we get topside we will be a high priority target. Tucker, you and me will keep anyone that gets on the top here off of Jr. Tex, if you can take control of the turrets on the legs and Church if you will take the AA gun I think we will be just fine."

"What about me," Caboose asked.

"I'm going to need you to get a little angry," Arbiter said.

"Yeah I don't know how to do that really," Caboose said.

"Dude are you sure getting Caboose angry is a good idea," Tucker asked.

"Pretty sure," Arbiter replied, "Caboose what is something that you like more than anything in the world?"

Caboose looked at the giant Scarab they were on, "I like giant robots," Caboose said.

"The Sith invaders think giant robots are stupid," Arbiter stated.

"I will annihilate them," Caboose declared.

"Wow I didn't think Caboose even knew a word with that many syllables," Church stated before he took the elevator to the turret controls.

Jr. walked them to the elevator and they emerged on the surface above the keep. With a leap the Scarab moved from the keep to the wreckage strewn space port where the Sith were salvaging as many of their ships as they could. Doug had certainly done a number on them before having to pull up and circle around again. Looking up Arbiter saw Cortana flying through the air, engaged in battle with several Sith fighters. The Sith seemed to be no match for Cortana's Sentinel abilities however as the Sith exploded soon after engaging Cortana. Behind them Banshees and Phantoms began to pour out of the keep as the Penance's crew retaliated against the Sith.

"Rtas," Arbiter asked over the comms, "What is our target?"

"Follow that Finis guy, he seems to know where the Sith are holing up," Rtas replied, "He shouldn't be hard to find just look for the wake of destruction and dissolving structures."

"Jr.," Arbiter asked.

"Already on it," Jr. replied as the Scarab started moving through the debris field on the space port. As Arbiter looked over the various crashed planes he did notice that many of them were glowing with a red light and were seemingly melting away.

"Look out," Church said, "We've got Sith troops inbound. I'll take out as many as I can but if some land it will be you three that have to take care of them."

"No one will hate on my robots," Caboose yelled.

"Seriously was it a good idea to get him mad," Tucker said, "What if he accidentally blows up this thing?"

"He won't," Arbiter reassured the teal soldier. Five Sith drop ships came in towards the Scarab. Church managed to shoot down three of the angular ships but the last two got in under the AA cannon and deposited fifteen troops each on the top of the Scarab. Church blew up the offending dropships as they tried to retreat.

"I've got eyes on Finis," Jr. said, "It shouldn't be long now, just take care of those Sith up there."

None of the Sith were the force using masters but they still outnumbered the three defenders ten to one. Or they did until Caboose charged through the unsuspecting troops and smashed ten of them through a wall before following them into the interior of the Scarab.

"I told you he would break it," Tucker said.

"I... he is really very strong," Arbiter said, "Now we've still got ten of these guys a piece to deal with."

Tucker charged his energy sword and Arbiter charged his while the Sith lined up shots and advanced on the two, depending on if the Sith was using a melee or ranged weapon.

"So I'll take the ugly one there with the ax," Tucker said, "What about you?"

"The sniper," Arbiter replied as he cloaked and sprinted towards his stated target. The clash of the melee behind him told Arbiter that Tucker had engaged the Sith. Arbiter ran up and impaled the Sith sniper before decapitating another Sith that was carrying laser rifle. Now that he was discovered by his kills, Arbiter had to block the shots from the other eight gunmen. Using his swords as shields Arbiter advanced on the Sith troops who were now backing away as Arbiter advanced. Two explosions later and the Sith were gone.

"Hey I figured out how to over ride this thing's controls," Church said as he then blasted away the Sith that were attacking Tucker. "If I had figure this out earlier you guys wouldn't have had to fight those guys. Where did Caboose go?"

"Hello," Caboose said as he punched the last of the Sith he had taken through the side wall of the Scarab back out onto the deck.

"Guys," Jr. said, "We've caught up with Finis. He wants to come aboard and show us to the Sith stronghold. He says the gun on this thing should be able to break it open."

"The let him aboard," Arbiter said, "We've got the Sith on the run now it is time to end them."

Character Diablo

The Primes, Angeris Council, Beast, Leah, Ezio, Lyndon, Cain, Blood-Raven, Xarle, Tom, Lil and Beth had returned to Sanctuary to settle a brewing war among the demons and humans. So far they had gotten several of the leaders of the two sides to at least meet with them to talk about the situation. So they were waiting outside the seven tombs of the Horadrim Mages that had imprisoned Baal for almost a thousand years. Diablo hated waiting... come to think of it he also hated talking, and small furry animals, except cats... he liked cats.

"Thinking Brother," Malafor asked.

"What else have we to do," Diablo replied as he mentally added overcooked steak to the list of things he hated. "How hard is it for four people to get here?"

"King Justinian the Forth is the farthest away," Inarius said, "Emperor Hakkan is closer but is probably going to be more wary of our invitation as he has never meet us."

"Of the demons there is Galrak and Cerses," Lilith said, "Neither are happy with our return."

"I remember those two," Diablo stated, "They are ruthless and effective, but never operated on a scale large enough to win a war."

"I see several horses approaching," Beast informed them.

"Dad are you sure about this plan of yours," Leah asked.

"It isn't my plan," Diablo said, "It is Tyreal's. I believe it will work."

"It's Justinian," Beast said, "and those other two that you mentioned meeting it looks like. What were their names?"

"Kormac and Eirena," Lyndon offered, "They seemed capable enough if a bit pretentious."

"Ha and you aren't," Mephisto scoffed.

"No I am suave," Lyndon replied causing Beth and Lil to laugh.

"Tom is suave," Auriel said, "You just try to hard."

"Oh come on you're an angle," Lyndon defended himself, "Are your sure you are qualified to evaluate suave?"

"More than you might think," Tyreal said, "Come our guests are arriving. We should tend to them."

"Tyreal," Justinian greeted as he rode down the hillside into the valley where the DC team was waiting. "and the Primes I see. I do not recognize some of you however and your towering friend there is somewhat concerning."

"That, I assume, is why he is here," a soft voice said. Looking to the east Diablo saw a caravan coming over to their gathering and riding before it was Hakkan and his guards. Hakkan was only about thirteen or fourteen but, the way the royally adorned youth scanned the group as he approached them made Diablo think that this young Emperor was more cunning and possibly more dangerous, than the demons that were supposed to be meeting with them.

"The child has the right of it," Beast agreed, "I am here to keep the peace."

"An odd sentence for one with your appearance," Hakkan stated, "But it is the appearance that does ninety percent of the peacekeeping. Do you know that is has been almost a thousand years since our kingdoms came together? The last time it was because you three Primes were rampaging across the world. Unusual is it not that it is you three and Tyreal that brings us together again?"

"I have to admit that the coincident is notable," Justinian agreed, "But there are also supposed to be some of the demons here are well if I was informed correctly."

"They will be here," Lilith said, "The chance for them to get even one of our factions to side with them is to great an opportunity to waste."

"Correct as usual," Galrak, a demon Baron of the self named "mallet lord" race, said as the thirty foot tall behemoth lumbered towards the group. On the four arms of Galrak were massive weights with spikes sticking out of them, his conic, fang filled, head was covered by an armored arch that was coming up from the plated shoulder pads that served as the mounts for the mallets on the arms. Galrak's entire, muscly, frame was a reminder to Diablo of how much power the Baron still maintained.

"Consorting with demons now," Kormac spat, "Why are we doing this?"

"Maybe because your betters want to find a way to resolve these conflicts," Cerses interjected as the fiery Overlord flew in for a landing with his Fireguard. Ceres was about Diablo's size but of lighter build to allow for flying. Still the demon was strong enough to prove difficult to deal with if it came to a fist fight. Also the very large sword that Cerses carried was imbued by Diablo himself to be able to tear right through angles and demons alike.

"I see you still have Scourge," Diablo said.

"It is not often that one is given a weapon enchanted by the lord of terror," Cerses said, "Now why are we here? It seems improbable that we will come to any agreement."

"Why don't you hear the arrangement first," Auriel said.

"I doubt it will do any good," Eirena said, "Without a central leader no one can enforce their will on the factions of either Sanctuary or hell."

"That is why we are here," Mephisto said, "To choose a leader for them both."

"They will have to be one who can bridge the gap between human and demon," Tom said.

"One strong enough to enforce their will and who has others willing to enforce that will if need be," Baal added.

"Someone who can not be commanded by human, or angle or demon," Inarius said.

"Maltheal was the only one who fit those descriptions," Justinian said, "And you managed to kill even him."

"Then would it not be wise to side with the one capable of felling such a foe," Hakkan asked.

"It would be beneficial," Galrak stated.

"But who is that one," Cerses asked.

"Ezio Auditore da Firenze," Cain stated as he indicated the assassin, "A living soulstone."

Diablo watched Ezio closely, his daughter's boyfriend was reluctant at first to this plan but when Cain had mentioned that combined the forces of Sanctuary could help him create a portal back to his time, Ezio agreed seemingly without any reluctance left. This would determine if that was just a show or if Ezio really was focused on finding a way back to his home. As Ezio looked up the hard glint in his eye was unmistakable, the assassin had a plan.

"A living soulstone," Hakkan asked, "Like Tal Rasha who was once the keeper of Baal's soulstone? He eventually was destroyed by the demon standing before us today."

"Because Baal's stone was broken, flawed, like the other stones Tyreal made," Ezio said, "The black soulstone is free of these defects. It is within me and trapped inside is Maltheal. Not only do I have the powers of the soulstone to trap demons or angles but also the powers of those that are trapped within." As he said this the mists of Death rose up around Ezio, cloaking him in their shroud. Diablo almost sighed in relief as Ezio followed the plan, he didn't though because that would be a noticeable weakness to the others there. "You have but one choice," Ezio said from the mists, "Accept my rule and thrive, or deny me and die. Should you accept then our first task is to spread the message of my coming to all those who dwell here." The light from the Apple of Eden burst forth from the mists as they subsided around Ezio. "I know where the leaders of the words are already. Should you and your forces choose to join me we will set out immediately to secure their alliances."

"We don't have much of a choice it seems," Justinian said, "Those mists are death to any of us here."

"Or it is an illusion to subvert us," one of Cerses' Fireguards said as he struck out towards Ezio. The assassin was to fast for the overlord though and dodged the mace that was swung at him before stabbing the demon with his hidden blade and pulling the unbelieving Fireguard's essence into himself.

"Anyone else want to make an objection," Ezio asked as he wiped his blade clean.

After a few moments of silence between the groups Beast asked, "So where is this first leader?" Thus began the conquest of Sanctuary and it's hell.