"You plot and scheme in service of one. Will you fight for their happiness?" a female voice asked.
"You trust, love, and care for one. Do you wish to make them yours alone?" a male voice also asked.
"The country of boulders has crumbled." the female voice said.
"The country of flowers has wilted." the male voice followed.
"Let them be. One knows the truth. In this world, there is no mercy. My yearning does not exist here." the female voice said.
In the Universal Villain's ship, Photon was looking over the readings when he noticed something. "What…?" he said as he took a closer look. "Lord Techno, Flux, a moment please." he called out to the leaders, who responded to his call.
"What is it, Photon?" Techno asked.
"The amount of lifesigns in this world…it's gone up." Photon said, pointing out the number, which had gone from six to fifteen.
"Ah…so things are finally working." Flux said.
"Flux? Do you…know something?" Techno asked.
"Let's just say it's part of my secret weapon against the Corrupted. Hmm..though..the number should have only gone up by one right now. These other 9…I see…seems Nil finally lost patience and summoned the Divine Dragon and brought some groupies with her." Flux said.
"I can see that. He hardly trusts us." Techno said. "Though…this does complicate things. Photon, can you perhaps pinpoint their location?"
"Of course, my lord." Photon said as he made some calculations. "Hmm…well, how about that. It seems they're arriving in Lythos. But…"
"But?"
"I might just be able to redirect the summoning from here." Photon said. "If I can, we can have them appear in any region of our choosing."
"How confident are you that you can pull this off?" Techno asked.
"99.9%, my lord. Always best to leave room for error." Photon said.
"In that case…send them to Elusia." Techno said.
"Wait, right into the bad guy's place?" Spinel asked, having overheard the conversation.
"Pulling them right into the middle of a warzone that will more than likely get them killed…I love it! You are really embracing your villainous routes." Flux said.
"Well, that is one outcome." Techno said. "On the other hand, it serves another role: if we summoned them straight to us, they would definitely attack us. However, if they encounter the Corrupted first, and we just happen to show up and 'save' them, they'll be more willing to listen, perhaps even help us get back to our reality."
"Oh yeah, that too." Flux said. "But I'm still holding out hope that they die before we get there."
"I welcome you to pursue your delusions." Techno snarked, rolling his eyes. "Boba, go inform Nel of the situation. I don't want her thinking we're keeping her in the dark."
"Right." Boba said as he made a quick trek to where Nel had made her quarters, knocking on the door. "Hey, wake up in there. Situation's changed." he called out to her.
Moments later, Nel opened the door, rubbing her eyes to chase sleep from them. "What are you talking about?"
"Your brother jumped the gun. The Divine Dragon of our reality is on the way." Boba said. "Looks like we'll be meeting them in Elusia."
For a moment, Boba caught a mixture of emotions in Nel's eyes: shock, joy, and fear. "Elusia? They're being summoned in Elusia?"
"Thanks to Photon, anyway. Follow me, we've got ten minutes for prep." Boba ordered.
The Fell Dragon did as instructed, following the bounty hunter to the main room, even as she kept her shock at this curveball hidden. "(I can't believe they… no, that comes later. Please…survive until I get there, Divine One.)"
"So, Zelestia went to get our contact for this region?" Compress asked Gregory as the ship's window presented snowy weather all around.
"The plan was for Zelestia to bring her from the rendezvous point. Should be here any minute…" Gregory said.
"Glad we decided to wait here for 'em." DaDan said. "It looks freezing out there."
"Well, Elusia is a land of snow, what did you expect?" Dabi said.
"I have no objections with this weather." Pandora said. "As does the rest of my master's team."
"Of course you don't, you have an ice-wielding Magical Girl. You're all used to it." DaDan said. "And we get stuck with the crazy pyromaniac."
"You know I wouldn't mind starting a fire. We do have a blabbermouth who'd make good firewood." Dabi said.
"...I am going to shut up now." DaDan squeaked, shuffling away from Dabi.
"All we ever ask of you." Spinner said.
"We have contact." Boba announced, seeing two figures approaching the ship.
"It's Zelestia!" Spinel added, using her eyes like binoculars to see them. "And some little girl too!"
"That's Madeline." Nel said.
Madeline had mid length light blonde hair with a fringe of it over her right eye and wore blue colored armor with ribbons.
"Arsen, disengage the lock and let them in." Techno ordered. The bodyguard did so, allowing the two Four Winds to board the ship.
"Hello, Lady Nel. I hope your journey wasn't too arduous. Gregory, you look well." Madeline said. "Zelestia was just filling me in on all that's occurred. The Universal Villains are indeed with you."
"Sorry to disappoint - oh wait, we're not." Flux said. "But you won't be that way for long."
"There's been a development. The Divine Dragon of the Color-Verse is being summoned, and will appear in Elusia." Techno explained.
"Elusia?!" Madeline gasped. "Why would Lord Nil-?!"
"Uh, actually… that was us." Spinel said.
"You fools! Elusia worships the Fell Dragon Sombron! If they find the Divine One, they'll kill them!" Zelestia said.
"If we summoned them to our position, they would kill us." Techno countered. "We haven't cultivated a positive relationship with her. This way, by saving her from Elusia, they'll be more willing to let us explain the situation."
"Relax. They can hold out until we get there." DaDan waved off. "I mean, we barely saw anyone at the checkpoints while we were flying over. This place is deserted."
"You really wanna temp Murphy's Law, huh?" Prometheus deadpanned. "If something goes wrong, I blame you."
"Not unless these guys kill us first." Twice said as they saw two opposing armies coming into their position.
Risky Boots slapped DaDan's back of the head. "Idiot."
"Ow! I could've done without the slap!" DaDan complained. "Color Gods know I get enough of that at home…"
"You want the cannon or my gun instead?" Risky threatened.
"Enough! Arguing among ourselves won't solve anything!" Techno barked. "All we can do is go with our plan: rescue the Divine Dragon, and anyone who came with them. Everyone, move out and find her!" he ordered, the villains sprinting towards the battle, soon to begin.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, Alear was awake as Veyle was fast asleep as the others looked around at the landscape.
"This is Elusia, and yet…something's different but also familiar." Simon said.
"This feeling… it feels like we're in the Abyss Order's territory." Aether said.
"Something's not right." Lumine said as she took out her Zikan Phone and contacted the others, but to no avail. "I can't contact the others either, something's jamming the signal."
"I guess we're on our own." Aether deduced. "At least our team here is versatile and hard-hitting. Alear, can you wake Veyle up? We need to move soon."
"Yeah." Alear said. "Veyle, wake up sweetie."
Veyle slowly opened her eyes as she sat up. "Hmm? What's going on?" she asked before widening her eyes as she stood up. "What are we doing in Elusia?"
"Hard to say. A portal opened up while you two were asleep and sucked us all into a portal. I think this may be some kind of alternate reality." Kokoro said. "Hard to say which one, really… The air smells dead."
"Is it just this world or also beyond it?" Simon asked.
"Hard to say." Lumine answered.
"I… I am feeling shivers down my spine. I-I can't explain why." Kokoro said. "I can…barely sense anyone."
"Me too." Simon said. "It all seems…familiar, but I can't place it."
"Maybe we'll find out if we explore a little more. And maybe find a way out." Aether said.
The group made their way across the snowy plains before they slowly began hearing sounds of fighting. As they approached, they found two armies fighting in front of a cathedral, and at the front were two familiar figures.
"Is that…Ivy and Timerra?" Alear asked.
"They look like they're about to fight…but why? Aren't they our allies?" Veyle asked.
"This is an alternate reality, some things may be different than the one we're from." Simon said before spotting familiar bracelets on the two girls' wrists.
"And it looks like they both have their own versions of the Bracelet of the Strategist and Doting Sister." Alear said. "What should we do? If we try to intervene, we could end up caught in the battle."
"I think we'd better wait and see what happens first." Aether said.
"Just in case we do have to fight, will you be okay, Veyle?" Alear asked.
"I'll be fine. I'm good with Dark Magic and I have a dagger." Veyle said, pulling out a purple tome and a uniquely shaped throwing knife.
"That will do." Lumine noted as they watched the confrontation between the two princesses.
A bit away from the group's position, Timerra and Ivy faced off with their armies at their backs, Timerra with Camilla at her side, and Soren at Ivy's, except the Emblems seemed to be corrupted. Compared to the one the heroes knew in Solm, Timerra in the Fell-Verse was way more serious, as evidenced by the look in her eyes. As for Ivy, she seemed more expressive and haughty compared to the calm and serious Ivy the heroes knew.
"I see we have some uninvited guests. No matter. My reinforcements will annihilate them." Ivy said.
"Did they spot us already?" Veyle asked.
"No, look." Alear said, seeing the Universal Villains approaching from the other side of the battlefield with a few familiar faces. "The Universal Villains are here. They must've been brought to this world like we were."
"And those people with them… Zephia? Griss? Marni, and Mauvier?" Veyle asked.
"Hold on, Veyle. Something is different about them." Kokoro said.
"She's right, they could be this reality's counterparts of the Four Hounds." Simon said. "Wait, is that Risky Boots with them?"
"Ah! Lumine, look!" Aether gasped as he saw a familiar face in the group, which happens to be Boss.
"That's the one we saw while we're investigating the upside down Statue of the Seven hidden deep underground!" Lumine recognized. "Why is he here?!"
"I also see two reploids I don't recognize." Simon said.
"Hold on…" Aether narrowed his eyes. "Isn't that the ones Vent, Aile, Grey and Ashe fought back in their world?"
"Prometheus and Pandora…" Lumine said. "So they're with him?"
"Huh?" Veyle asked as she looked at Nel. "Another Fell Dragon? But papa never mentioned anything about others."
"Does that mean that they were…killed in our reality? Probably." Kokoro said.
"(But if that's the case, wouldn't the stone Veyle has have shattered?)" Simon thought.
"Spinel, Jasper, deal with Princess Ivy. Shigaraki, you and the League deal with the Solm leader. The rest of us will deal with the armies, and keep an eye out for any Corrupted heroes." Techno strategized.
"Whoa… What did he just say? Corrupted…heroes? Does that mean we died in this reality too? That means someone is gonna send Corrupted versions of our friends to try and confuse us. I have no idea what this place is, but if there is any semblance of Hell… I think this reality might be it." Kokoro said.
"Whoa…isn't that going a little extreme?" Dan said.
"Yeah. All we gotta do is beat the evil princesses and the villain guys." Luffy said.
"...I don't think it's their fault this time." Aether stated.
"Yeah, I think Aether might be right this time. They may have tried to follow us to Elyos, but ended up here by mistake." Kokoro said.
"More like they've been sent to this reality by force." Lumine said. "But who?"
"We don't have time to answer this right now. We're in the middle of a full-scale battle. We need to pick a side." Kokoro said.
"...I have an idea. Let's confront the person Lumine and I met before." Aether said. "He's not like other villains or the Neo Time Jackers."
"Yeah. I think that's probably a good idea." Aelita said.
"Okay. I get it." Luffy said. "Hey, evil boss guy! We wanna talk to ya!"
Luffy's actions made Aether and Lumine facepalm. "Luffy, why?!"
"What? You said you had a question." Luffy said.
"Not like that!" The twin travelers retorted.
"Yeah, but… You ended up attracting the kingdoms' armies toward us." Kokoro said as she sighed. "Well, no way out of this now. We got ourselves into this hole, time to dig ourselves out, as they say."
With that, the misplaced group prepared themselves, as Elusian and Solm forces converged on them.
Ivy and Timerra both heard Luffy's call out.
"Is that Luffy? He's alive?" Timerra asked.
"Curses! They've been resurrected as Corrupted. Eliminate them all!" Ivy said.
Both armies quickly surrounded the group.
"Well this is a fine mess." Aelita said.
"They're friends so we can talk with them. Hey! Desert lady! Got anymore meat and songs?" Luffy asked.
"...And he just made it worse." Lumine deadpanned.
"Why he's the pirate captain I'll never understand." Aether also deadpanned. "Beidou's a better pirate captain in my opinion."
"Meat? You and I are vegetarians, you know that." Timerra said. "And I hate music."
"Huh?" Luffy said.
"Luffy, we're in an alternate reality, remember? Some things here are a bit different." Kokoro said.
"Oh…so it's a mystery continent." Luffy said.
"Sure. Let's go with that." Dan said. "And Ivy, you shouldn't be doing this. What about your dad? What would he say?"
"I only think of his terrified face when I ended his life." Ivy said. "He had the gall to try to stop the ritual. Even as a sacrificial offering, he wasn't worth much."
"You killed Hyacinth yourself? Why? For what?" Kokoro asked. "You have single-handedly drove Elusia to the ground! Is there even anyone left to call you queen?!"
"Gotta say, seeing a serious Timerra is certainly unexpected." Simon said.
"And she and Ivy will kill us if we don't fight our way out." Alear said.
"I know." Simon said as he drew Hypnos and Nyx.
"We still need to confront the guy sis and I met." Aether said as he and Lumine summoned their swords. "We'll have a better chance of survival if we find him first."
"But it looks like we'll have to clear a path before we get to him." Lumine added.
"So you're not going to help us defeat Elusia? What a shame. I thought you all were the real things, but you're Corrupted just like all the others." Timerra said.
Just before the two princesses could attack the group, however, a figure on horseback intercepted them, placing themselves between them.
"That's enough. I won't let any harm come to these people." the figure declared.
"Mauvier! How dare-!" Ivy tried to speak before long, pink arms wrapped themselves around her wyvern, pulling the mount and her away.
"Hey, hey, hey, you're gonna play with us now!" Spinel smiled as she flung the beast around before letting it go, dropping Ivy into the snow as the mount sailed across the battlefield.
"Spinel! You actually saved us?!" Aelita said.
"I know! This is really weird for me too!" Spinel said. "Thanks for doing our job, knight human!" she waved towards the figure, who disembarked from his horse, letting the group see that he was a dead ringer for Mauvier.
"It seems I made it in time. Are you all-?" Mauvier started as he turned towards the group, the question dying as he caught sight of Veyle. "L-Lady Veyle, you - no. No, you must be from the other side, as are the rest of you…my apologies."
"Wow. He's exactly the same as the one on the other side." Kokoro said.
"So the Four Hounds are the good guys here?" Dan said.
"Four Winds, actually." Mauvier corrected.
"Well well…" Boss said as he approached the twin travelers. "I was not expecting the two of you to be here."
"We should ask you the same thing." Aether replied. "But why are you here though?"
"Blame the Universal Villains for sending me and my faction for assistance." Boss replied back. "This is only temporary though until we return to the multiverse we know."
"I see." Lumine noted. "Then… maybe…"
"I know what you're going to say, traveler. So for the time being, you and your brother are under my protection." Boss replied. "Is the Rebellion with you right now?"
"They're still in Elyos in the Color-Verse alongside the rest of the Hero Alliance." Aether answered.
"The Hero Alliance… Color-Verse… I see." Boss noted. "We'll discuss further details later. For now, we must eliminate the Corrupted Solm and Elusia armies, and take back the Emblem Bracelets. No need to hold back, they're already dead."
"So Timerra and Ivy are…" Lumine realized, earning a nod from Boss. "...Very well, just so that their souls in this world can rest in peace."
"Darkmoon, work with the travelers and deal with the Elusian army." Boss ordered.
"Yes, father." Darkmoon bowed. "Follow me, you two."
The twin travelers nodded and followed Cure Darkmoon's lead as they attacked the Elusian army, making their way towards Ivy.
"So…" Boss turned to the Alliance. "You must be the Hero Alliance. Some of you, anyway."
"That's correct." Simon said.
"And I see a legendary hero in the ranks. Monkey D. Luffy, I presume?" Boss asked. "I can sense that you've achieved Gear 5, which means Kaido and Big Mom were defeated."
"Hehe, yeah. Nice to meet ya, Boss Guy!" Luffy said.
"Call me whatever you like, but I'd prefer to be called Boss." Boss replied before facing Alear and Veyle. "And you two must be the Divine Dragon Alear and the Fell Dragon Veyle. It seems someone summoned you two here for a reason."
"Yeah. But I think I was the main target. Everyone else got caught up by accident." Alear said. "Though…seems a lot has happened to this Elyos."
"Yes, unfortunately so." Boss replied. "And you can blame the Fell Dragon Sombron for that… Hm?" He then noticed the red and blue ring on Alear's finger. "Wait… you're wearing that ring now? Who gave it to you?"
"My mother did. Before she went to get treatment." Alear said.
"Before you jump to anything, Lumera is very much alive thanks to us." Dan said.
"So she's alive in the Color-Verse… Interesting…" Boss mused before looking at Velye. "As for you, do you still have your dark self?"
"Um…yes but she's sleeping…for now." Veyle said.
"Hmm… that is concerning." Boss noted. "Maybe I can do something about it, but that can wait. We have a battle to finish. Hero Alliance, I'd suggest dealing with the Solm army. Show no mercy."
"Fine. Guess we're doing this!" Dan said as he, Aelita and Luffy started laying siege on the army of Solm.
Darkmoon and the Traveler twins fought their way through the Elusian soldiers, catching sight of Ivy trying (and failing) to hit Spinel with lightning spells.
"Stand still, you damned creature!" Ivy yelled as she continued to attack the Gem.
"Don't feel like it!" Spinel replied as she weaved her way around all of the lightning, before stretching her arm towards the Corrupted from below and hitting her with an uppercut. "Go get 'em, Jasper!"
The Ultimate Gem then rushed towards the prone princess, leaping up while manifesting her helmet, which she slammed straight onto Ivy's skull, cracking it while sending her crashing to the ground. "Even Corrupted, you magic using humans are fragile. It's so pathetic!"
"You monster… What have you done?" Ivy asked as she laid on the ground, Jasper marching towards her to loom over her.
"I've shattered you." Jasper replied with a bloodthirsty smile as she raised her foot up and brought it down onto Ivy's neck with a loud *SNAP!*. The Corrupted princess stopped moving after that.
"Ouch. Ain't no fixing that with ibuprofen." Spinel said, nonplussed by the brutality before she saw the three Xross-Verse Residents approaching. "Oh, hiya, Darkmoon! We got the mean princess, see?"
"I can see that." Darkmoon noted. "A little brutal, but effective nonetheless."
"Just be glad that it's not our Ivy getting that treatment." Aether winced with Lumine nodding.
"Did you get the Bracelet?" Darkmoon asked.
"Here it is!" Spinel said, holding the Bracelet of the Strategist. "Slipped it off Ivy while I was tossin' her wyvern around. Get it to Nel so she can put it to sleep."
"As for the other army…" Simon said as they saw the Solm forces decimated by just the three heroes with Timerra tied up and her bracelet taken.
"No surprises there." Kokoro said.
"Now Sombron will return… But that's what you wanted, isn't it?" Timerra asked.
"Not quite." Darkmoon corrected. "We're permanently ending the ritual."
"While this isn't anything personal." Simon said before aiming Hypnos at Timerra's head.
"I'd look away if I were you." Darkmoon advised the twin travelers and followed her lead.
*BANG!*
"This was the only way." Simon said.
"You did what you had to do. It's the only way for her corrupted soul to rest in peace." Darkmoon said. "That being said, only one Bracelet remains."
"Stay on your guard." Techno said, walking up. "Every time we've faced combat, we've encountered Corrupted versions of the Hero Alliance. If that trend continues, then they should show up right about…"
Techno stopped talking as he tilted his head to avoid a laser-like arrow from behind, dodging it without changing expression. "...now." he finished as he turned around, seeing three cloaked figures. "Three this time? Whatever desire is driving these Corrupted, it seems it's growing desperate."
"Hopefully, none of them are robots this time." Flux said, taking out his secret weapon.
"Wait…I know that arrow!" Aelita realized in shock. "O-Odd?!"
"Well, that's one identity revealed. As for the other two…" Flux said, getting a good look at what little the hoods revealed. "Huh, it's the kid with the spider and the cat girl."
"Cat girl…?" Techno said, as the hoods came down, revealing Odd, Shun, and Catra. "Catra…" he sighed. "I must say…she was one of the ones I was least looking forward to."
"Just glad Adora isn't here to see this." Simon said.
"Guess we're not retreating until these three Corrupted heroes are dealt with." Aether deduced.
"We saw how Catra fights, but Odd and Shun are new to us." Lumine said.
"Avoid Odd's line of sight. He mainly fights from a distance using arrows. Shun will try fighting using kunai." Aelita said.
"Good thing you two came here with some experts." Kokoro said.
"I think sis and I will take our chances with Catra." Aether said as he and Lumine prepared themselves. "You can have the rest."
"Then allow me to have room for one more." Darkmoon said, standing with the twin travelers.
"Fine by me." Lumine replied before the three headed straight for Catra.
"Okay…while they do that…" Aelita said prepping an Energy Field. "Sorry, Odd. It's nothing personal." she said as she fired right into the boy.
"Ugh…so dramatic." Flux said as Shun prepared to stab him before he sprayed in the boy's face before he collapsed.
Aether and Lumine quickly evaded Catra's claws before it ended with a deadlock, trying to push back. However, Catra failed to notice Darkmoon appearing behind her and froze her whole body into an ice coffin. And with one more glowing punch with lunar energy, the frozen Catra shattered to pieces. "Rest in peace." Darkmoon whispered.
"I know you're not the Catra we know, but it had to be done." Aether whispered before the three rejoined the others.
Techno simply sighed at the display. "...For the record, I am sorry." he said quietly as he turned towards the group. "So, heroes…before we get started, I'd like to make it clear that it is not our doing that you wound up here."
"We know. Boss made it perfectly clear." Lumine replied. "Let's just finish this so we can all escape and go our separate ways."
"I need a refresher. How do we get the final bracelet?" Boss asked.
"Unfortunately there is a seal on the last location: the Somniel. Only the Divine Dragon can lift it." Flux said.
"Then it looks like you are needed, Alear." Boss deduced.
"It's probably the only reason why she was even summoned to begin with." Flux said.
"Why do I get the feeling that things will go wrong the moment we get the last bracelet?" Risky pondered.
"More than likely, Nil and his mystery partner will try and ambush us, and take the power for themselves and their army of Corrupted." Flux said.
"If that's the case, then we need to be heavily prepared." Boss stated.
"Yeah…I got my final weapon waiting in the ship. Just need to wait for the big battle." Flux said.
"Let's just hope it's enough." Prometheus said. "If not, we'll do things the hard way."
"If they're Corrupted, it will be." Flux said. "Let's not waste time. We're going to the Somniel."