To Light The Future!

by Dantheman2000009

Fate is always moving things along a set path. But what if something happened to that path? Or if someone new stepped on it? This Story is about a young man whose fate is undecided. Will he play along and let the world burn once more? Or, will he take up arms and fight to not only protect who he loves but to Light the Darkness that hangs over the future. (TioXOC plus others) AU

17. From Zero to Hope: Final

And this is it, the final to this collab with Shinn of Destiny. We went through a lot of ideas, twists and turns. Ups and downs… mostly ups. Still kinda sad it's over, really glad that it is.

As of writing this, it's February 28th 1 in the morning. I'm halfway into Daybreak 2 and once that's done I'll be full steaming the rest of Zero and this first act. And please make sure to see Shinns side of the story for context to a lot of crap, it's a lot!

Now for the normal can of beans! I do not own the Legend of Heroes series or anything in it! Just a few Oc's and ideas behind the story!... Yes I did copy this so what!

'Thinking'

"Letters"

(Whispers)

"Talking"

Change of time/Pov

Artist of Shade in the story cover is Iwonn on Twitter and they have their own blog where you can get yourself some nice art as well but for a price.

Iwonn's Art Blog )

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Back to where Magilou was she watched with a smile as she left the mech, hopping down and handing her terminal to the pilot who now had a mech with no ammo. "Man, 90% of my shots missed, you need to do a better job of keeping your mech in tip-top-shape!"

She walked away without bothering to hear what he had to say for himself, looking at the city. "Heh, I did my part…"

Watching Shade's body descend, everyone's eyes widen as he's caught in a blue sphere before teleporting in front of them.

"Blue teleportation? Then!" True to Shizuna's words, appearing before them in a flash of light stood Vita.

"Apologies for the delay, everyone. Lucinances love to make a dramatic entrance."

With a tap, the wrapping around everyone is disintegrated. Then another tap.

"Freaking magic," Van mumbles, feeling his ability to move a lot easier now. "Wish I could use that handy crap."

"You're not… even a Lucinance here!" Rinwell breathed out.

"Who said I was referring to myself?" She smiled to look up.

Ears flickering, so too does Munechika at the familiar elemental presence.

Heading snapping to the dark sky, he didn't see it at all. Not the clouds, the landscape itself out his peripheral. All he saw… was molten fire.

"Lucinance Art…"

Head whirling to the sudden layered voice, Hollow's eyes widen. Hands clasped in a hand sign, glyphs signalling the casting of an art, lied Relon.

"RELON… LUCINANCE!"

"ASHEN AMBUSCADE!"

Veering into sight, countless molten meteors descend breaking apart the blanketing sky.

Bones swirling into a spear, Hollow prepares to strike for Relon to slam the ball of his foot, sending the man into the attack.

"Ack!" 'Such… strength! N-No! I must defend Lord Zero!'

Righting himself buck his eyes in confusion at the countless portals, he catching Relon holding Pappan to vanish.

"NO! WHERE?! WHERE?! WHY CAN'T I SENSE HIM?!"

"It's quite simple." Stiff body going still, his eyes cut to see Kallen atop Pippin. "Relon enters another dimensional pocket when he uses that sword." She could see it. The realization dawning on the man. "No level of magic or enhanced elemental power or malevolence will find him."

"You filthy traitor… You and I were Lord Zero's right and left hand!" He roars, descending to the ground.

"You're right," she says. "Were."

Without a care, she averted from the falling man as a large portal emerged above the tower. From it, molten balls of fire spew out.

"I SHALL DEFEND LORD ZERO!" At that proclamation, he vanishes.

"You fool," Kallen mumbles.

The moment he appeared, he could only stare as once again, the fireballs vanished.

"What?" Perhaps it was the genuine confusion he faced, or the lack of information. It didn't matter. Above lied not the fire spheres, but Relon now holding Pippin. "Impossible…!"

It was all he could muster as portals surrounding the tower manifested as the Lucinance spell leaked into reality once more.

At once, the wings around Relon sprouted to life as his eyes dulled. Black malevolence unlike Hollow's own writhed in agony like a injured spirit as an internal roar only he could hear bellowed.

"Solar Impact: Malevolent Eclipse!"

His eyes followed Relon before his vision went black.

One slash. Four Slashes. Six slashes. Fourteen slashes.

A countless barrage of hits struck his body, each mirroring the time on a clock. Yet each slash was not its own, another struck with it. He could feel it, the power of two in one attack.

Forced to open his eyes, all he could do was helplessly watch as the surrounding tower's pointed spired passed. His body was on fire. Metaphorically and literally. The power of his recovery abilities were cancelled out by the elemental flames' heat making contact with his insides.

He only needed a moment to act, even if it killed him. Then that opportunity came.

He groaned as the tip of Pippin embedded itself in his chin. Then he felt his body and vision spin before he crashed into the metal tiles above.

Immediately, his eyes snapped open to the diving male. His body ached and his ability to stand was weakened but his hands were more than enough.

"DIE!" He roared, slamming his open palms as bone wrapped around eerie roots before approaching the descending hybrid.

"Truly, you are a fool."

He could barely make out her blurry form above him. All he felt was something hot touch his neck as his focus waned. Thus did his attack.

"Ka-PACK!" It was all he could sound as she vanished before his eyes. 'S-So, that's how… I see… Lord Zero, I've…'

The thought never finished. All that could be heard was the sound of piercing flesh drowned out by the black-flammed funnel.

Reappearing before everyone and a smiling Vita, Kallen releases a breath she hadn't known to have held.

"I take it Crest has been defeated?"

"Yes."

Shade looked up, still kneeling on the ground next to everyone. A small sigh of relief left his mouth as that battle was over, but now he was drained of all of his power with only small bits recharging now. 'I'm glad, but what the hell is that shit?'

"Good. Just in time to watch the power of Relon's first art. Come everyone." With a tap, everyone is warped onto a large magical platform. On the opened roof a short distance where they once lied, the black-flamed geyser. Attacking the multiple black force fields were Relon's attack.

"That's Relon's art?" Rinwell awes.

"Wait." Shizuna widens. "Is that what you two were practicing together?!"

"One of a few things, yes." Vita winked. "Of course, there are problems with it too. Such as his mind-boggling casting time. It takes eons to cast even the simplest art. But given the opportunity presented for us, it would seem clearly worth it. Look."

True to her words, the black force fields begin to crack as the molten flames seem to get bigger.

"They're not weakening," Van notes. "It's like Munechika's spell she casted yesterday."

"Correct. Relon fought Zero once in his mind. While doing so, he unconsciously performed this exact phenomenon. He mixed his own mana with malevolence. In doing so, it gained the passive effect of absorbing other malevolence and extending his own ability's life.

"But since all Zero is filled with is malevolence, Relon's art is just sucking all the power from Zero!" Swin awes.

"And when Zero's forcefield is all out of juice…!" Nadia realizes as the moment reaches that point. With a crumble, the balls of fire strike.

"The shape inspired by Rinwell's Shooting Star, the effects similar to Munechika, the potency and power all his own; it is a combined culmination of the Hexen and Lucinance Clan. The first spell contributing from both families," Vita smiles as dense, large, explosions ignite like a chain reaction.

"There's so much fire!"

"What about Relon?!"

"Don't worry," Kallen calls, looking on with an impassive face though the glint in her eyes shows respect and admiration above all. "It's all according to his plan.

"Did you all forget? They can absorb heat?" Vita adds.

"But, he has a limit!" Rinwell remarks. "Unless…"

"Unless the capacity to hold such has increased." Shizuna notes. "Wait, they…?"

"Then Relon isn't the one absorbing all that fire." Munechika says.

"Not the only one at least!" Rinwell shoots to her feet only to stumble.

"That attack is covering every nook and cranny of the castle. What's to say Zero isn't getting hurt too?" Swin asks.

"That's also the plan. The hopeful part at least," Kallen notes. 'As if that guy would get hurt from this, bet he's loving every bit of this… Guess he'll love what I'm going to do very soon~!'

Watching the sea of flames begin to swirl, less and less becomes noticeable as it is seemingly dragged into the air. With a pop, black wisps explode in all directions.

"I think we know where Zero is," Van comments as all see the once evil structure completely in ruins sans for a single chamber at the highest point.

"Shall we?" Not awaiting an answer, Vita gives a tap for everyone to be warped to where they once were.

With the roofing gone and much of the flooring in tatters, that left a single line for them to take to where Zero awaited.

"Well, he made that easy at least." Van sighs.

"Much easier." Elaine corrects in agreement.

Watching Relon slowly descend from the air, his form reverts back to normal as he lands for Pippin to remove itself from his grip. With a carefully long breath, he looks to the path ahead.

"There you are," he mumbles.

Turning back, he immediately feels the chop of a hand atop his head.

"You lasted longer than we agreed on, mister."

"Phrasing, mother," he retorts. "We needed as much as we could get. Every ounce matters." Ignoring the woman's light scolding, he looks at everyone. "Looks like we're all here. Good."

"About time," Shade stood up on his own, despite his legs wanting to fail he stood straight up. "You're lucky I had some form of help to use my power, otherwise Rinwell and Munechika would have been skinned…" His breathing was ragged, despite the mask one could tell he was more annoyed than anything.

"Well then it's a good thing you did power up." Vita speaks. "Otherwise, what we still have to do would be much harder."

"For us at least," Kallen notes with a sigh, looking at the silent Relon. 'Huh? Something is wrong with him…'

"What, no quip this time? You look like you saw a dog get kicked, or ran over by a car…"

Blinking at his fellow protagonist, Relon takes a step pivoting for the path to halt.

"Let's just get this over with." Without waiting, both swords took their places at his side as he began the trek.

"I saw that coming," Vita sighs.

"Explain."

"That is the hard part." Kallen notes. "Let's go. We'll explain on the way."

"Before that, you guys okay?" Shade turned to look at the others, mostly at Munechika and Rinwell who were nearest to Hollow.

"I'm fine."

"As am I. You, Hootle?"

"Hoot hoot!"

"All good here. Just a little sore but nothing a little healing magic can't fix." Rinwell pumps an arm in her usual cheery fashion though it seems more strained as her eyes linger on the distant Relon. "Just what happened to him?"

"Guess we'll find out, but first can you hit me?" Shade looked right at Rinwell, his tiredness still showing.

"Huh? O-Oh! I gotcha! One electric combo on the house!" Hand sparking in electricity, she walks over to place it atop his chest. Electricity flows into Shade's body, his tiredness fades and he stands up more. 'Good, that much should help me with Zero…'

"Thanks, I used up every last drop in that fight, couldn't even talk because of the state I was in. Also, I heard what you said~"

"Hehe, don't tell Cuz. He may get grumpy at ya, teehee."

"Relon is gonna kill you if he hears what Rinwell said," Van shivers. 'Not like it was just me, I mean it was mostly me but still!'

"Given what he just did, I would prefer to be nowhere near if and or when he finds out," Elaine requests.

"I second that," Munechika deadpans.

"Not like I care, can't die anyway. Still, it was funny, you know Rinwell in the short time we've known each other, I see you as a younger sister in a way." Shade reached out and patted her head.

"Awe, aside from the brutal massacre you do on occasion, I totally see you as a big bro in a way," she grins cheekily. "Though I've surprisingly gotten used to it all. I don't know if that's a good thing or bad." 'Oh, oh boy.'

"It's not."

"Nope, not at all."

"Far from good, dear."

"Innocence: Zero. Corruption: 100."

"A-Ah, well, there goes that."

"Hoot hoot hoot. Hoot. Hoot hoot."

"Jeez, even you Hootle? Shizuna, help me out. Shizuna? Where'd she go?"

"Ah, Kallen too." Vita notes.

Over their shoulders, they see both moving after Relon.

"Of course," Van sighs. "Come on, folks. Talk and walk."

Shade's POV.

The sounds of battle were dying down outside the ruined city, everyone walked into the base of the tower, seeing a good chunk of the inside destroyed. Inside however were many objects, some I heard stories about while others I had no clue, my eyes went to the broken yet large body of what looks like a red mech. "Testa-Rossa…" I said under my breath.

"Relon?" Rinwell voiced in wonder. One look and it seemed Relon was also eyeing the machine.

Wordlessly, he departed once more.

"Hoot…"

"I know, Hootle. It's like when we arrived in this Erebonia all over again. And I don't like it."

"Vita, what exactly transpired during your absence?" Munechika asked.

"That's a difficult question to answer. A lot would be a good answer but Kallen has already used that so I suppose 'he learned many things' would be an appropriate answer. Things which he hasn't disclosed even to I much less Kallen."

"So he's leaving us in the dark to hide stuff. Again," Van mumbles.

"No," Vita shakes her head. "Before, he held back as he felt the need to understand who he was simply didn't matter. Now, he's holding back for another reason entirely."

"Relon, you recognize it, don't you?" I looked over at him, raising my voice. Stopping to stare back, he nods before returning to his walk.

"Relon, what happened?" Shizuna asked to receive no response. "Relon, speak to us!"

Once again, he just stops mid-step.

"Shizuna, Relon has gotten stronger." Kallen began. "Not just in strength but knowledge as well."

"I heard what Vita said. I don't see why he has to keep silent from us though!"

"Because Zero is here."

In an instant to everyone's slight surprise, Relon's altered form manifested in the blink of an eye. Before anyone could utter a response, his focus went to the elevator ahead.

"Marshadow," he called.

"What's a Marshadow?" Nadia wondered for Relon's shadow to extend, naturally to everyone's further shock as out from it came a short gray humanoid creature with smokey wisps.

"Go," Relon ordered for the creature to nod before sinking into the floor as a moment later, the elevator gained the wispy appearance. Exiting his form, Relon looks back to all of us. "Into the elevator. Then we can talk."

"I think I understand somewhat, what you found out…" I said, walking forward towards the elevator with the others following.

Entering one after another, Van closes it for the controls to activate on their own. "What the?"

"Relax," Relon said. "Marshadow is moving the elevator."

"O-Oh." Rinwell breathed. "I guess it's better than trusting Zero to not drop us. Not like we would do such a thing."

"You'd be surprised how many would trust an enemy elevator," Relon mumbled.

"Going down would lead to his labs, I sensed them when I was powered up. Labs, cells, it's an entire underground system. Still, I don't mind this elevator going slow, allowing us to talk and prepare." I said, leaning against the wall.

"We're about to fight an elemental that's altered the world of morality into his 'supposed image.' Take this break as that and then some." Relon retorts kneeling to place a palm at the center of the room.

"What are you doing now?"

"Making sure Zero doesn't pull any other tricks." With that, the wispy flooring began to flail as blobs emerged like reverse raindrops. Manifesting an eye for limbs to emerge, the sight disgusting to some, miniature dragons fly around him. "Go," he commands as they fly through the ceiling. "Now then, let's talk."

"You saw the Knight, who knows what else from your future, am I right?"

"The Perception of Time was damaged but its original ability still remains the same, only now it has evolved because of Sephiroth and Ishmelga. Unlike our previous hypothesis on it being damaged. In short, yes, I saw the future. Too much of it that I would like."

"I have an idea of two events that you could have seen, so how far ahead did you see?"

"Up to the Infernal Flame Palace. That's when I was somewhat forced to cease my spectating."

"I was told about it by a few people, some you know. I know it wasn't a good day, nor time. Add on those that hate you and I can see it getting worse, I guess it makes sense why you are pissed off."

Blinking at me, he shakes his head. "Yeah. Very."

"But you're cool now, right?" Van asked with crossed arms. "You're not going to pull anything else insane out are you?"

"I will," he shrugged. "As we are now, we have to."

"You and Helios," Rinwell noted.

"Worried?"

"Of course not. You know we'd help even if you didn't want it."

"I am all too aware." He gave a roll of his eyes.

"Knowing you I bet you have about five more things to show off, with me I have one thing…" I looked at my hand, it was shaking slightly already. "I'm ready for what's to come!"

"Good. If you weren't, I'd keep you in this elevator until you were." Relon said, finally releasing his hand from the floor. "With the amount of malevolence Helios and I gained, we'll be capable of a lot so you can relax if worse comes to shove." He adds, leaning against the wall as he eyes a Kallen inspecting her blade.

"Shade take a breather from the front lines?" Nadia arches a brow. "That's quite the thing to say. Hmm, now I wonder. Who's stronger? You or Shade?"

"Does it matter? We have them both fighting Zero." Swin sighs.

"Huh," Rinwell blinked. "You know, when we first came here, you both did spar." She speaks for all heads to pique at attention.

"Oh?" Vita wonders. "Do tell, how did that end?"

"With Shade massacring a bunch of wolves," Rinwell nervously chuckled. "But they agreed to end in a tie. Relon had just recovered from our own problems in our world. Plus he didn't have his fire powers. Still, it was a close match."

"Hmm, is that so…" Nadia smiled, eyeing me.

"Don't forget I didn't want to fight in the first place, Relon had to make me pretty much which I still hate by the way!"

"If I had to suffer by Valkyrie and Ishmelga, you could survive a small fisticuff. Not to mention, I had to really see where my nerfed form was at the time. Who better than against an opponent around my skill level."

"Still annoying, didn't help I had to hold back so I wouldn't take an arm, unlike what you did!"

"Sacrifices had to be made for the generous well-being of thy status. The Lucinance Foundation appreciates your generosity." Relon shrugs indifferently for some giggles to emerge.

"Heh, glad to have helped, you being an asshole is actually helping me. For I can't wait to let the other side take over for once~"

"I am all too aware."

"Now that we're all here, anyone care to say anything before the final battle?" Vita asks. "Speak now or forever hold your peace." Despite the genuine tone, her eyes moving between Relon and Shizuna and Kallen.

"Your motherly side is something else, Vita." Elaine deadpans.

"Seriously, Relon, I feel for you."

"What's that supposed to mean."

"Erm, nothing. Just sending my condolences to a fellow guy against an unstoppable force." (Damn women.)

"Pfft," Nadia and Rinwell snickered, having heard his underbreathed comment.

Looking around I then see a few eyes land on me, standing up straight I sighed annoyingly. "Urg, fine! I'll do the speech, don't expect much… At the top of this tower is that asshole Zero, looking down at us, seeing everything as a show, I say let's give him the greatest show one could think of~! He wants to fight us, oh he will, he'll see what humanity can do, what we can do! Despair? Fuck that, time to show him the hope for everyone, the light everyone is looking for, so when the sun sets, it will rise tomorrow!"

"He wants to revert everything to nothingness, to zero," Relon began. "He's taken countless lives, desecrated multiple towns and countless countries. He's left us to fend with only what we had on our backs. Our loved ones, the people dear to us, even those that've helped us along the way; we have to end this. For our fates, for our friends, for the hope in seeing the light at the end of this dark tunnel; we must persevere. Let's restore the color of life to the world and make the Earth blue with life, not black with death."

"Was two power speeches really necessary?" Rinwell deadpan.

"Yes. Yes it was."

"If I knew he was going to say one I would've kept quiet… We're nearly there."

"Oh, I know. I just waited until you relented." Relon shrugs indifferently with a smug grin for it to mellow out as he moves for the middle looking at the ceiling. Leeching from it, a singular dragon came back. "So far I'm reading him." He mumbles, petting the creature as it slinks off into his shadow.

"Asshole…" I walk next to him, staring at the doors. "He's sitting down, looking right at the door, good chance he wants to talk before we fight."

"Good. Because I have plenty I want to talk to him about."

The elevator stopped moving, then the doors slowly creaked open to show a throne room, in the middle were steps that lead up to the throne with a figure sitting in it looking down at us without a care in the world.

Watching Marshadow revert to its size, its sights remains on the throne-sitter before Relon speaks up.

"Patience," Relon reminds. Relenting, it sunk into his shadow.

Without a word, we stepped out. Immediately, Relon's hand snapped up to suck in sudden sudden pulses of darkness.

"Figured that'd fail but it was worth a shot," Zero shrugged, inspecting the shadow lizard as he choked it into nothing. Particles vanishing from his hand. "Relon, you've changed quite a bit. Shade, oh how I wish I had you on my side, that power you shown wasn't even the tip of what you can do~"

"Like I said, fuck off!" I glared at him, standing at the front with Relon.

"Zero-"

"No, Relon. What you want to say must wait. That conversation remains between you and I. Not even Shade can hear that!"

"Oh? Now I'm quite curious." Vita smiled. Immediately, the look on Zero's expressions shifted into further dislike. "What makes you think Relon hasn't spoken about that topic already?"

"Mind games won't work so give up Azure Abyss. None of you matter except Shade and Relon."

"Zero!" Looking as Kallen embarked to the front of the group, Zero's eyes narrowed.

"Relon, did you not learn with Laura?! YOU BRING HER HERE?!"

"Zero, explain!" Relon demanded. "Laura and Kallen-"

"ENOUGH! YOU'VE LEARNED NOTHING!" He seethed to cover his face with a hand. "Ahaha…"

"Actually, Azure Abyss, or would you prefer Vita~ Either way I have a question. Just how is that pitiful Grand Master doing~?"

"Did he just change personalities?" Rinwell mumbled. "Is he crazy or downright weird?"

"She is hanging on. No thanks to you. How is your health? It must be quite agonizing holding on to so little."

"Oh I'm just fine, but I think you mean to say that your Grand Master is nearing her end~" He holds out his hand, an hourglass appears with very little time remaining. "This is how much time she has left, once her life is done the last blockade to my new world will be gone. Well, aside from your pitiful group, either way she'll be gone very soon~"

"Then I suppose it's a good thing that grain will never reach the bottom," she smiles, materializing her staff.

"Oh but you wish, why do you think she lived? Why do you think I never went back to kill her even knowing where she was? Because my power is within her, when we first fought I injured her to the point that my power would eat away at her until this very day, ending her life at the right moment to open the way forward, plus might as well make her suffer~ Even what I did to her kid was to simply make her suffer, at least he was a good experment~"

"You're despicable…" Relon growled.

"Oh I know, how else could I spend time in this boring world? Oh, speaking of being despicable, Shade have you told them what you did in your world~?"

"The hell you mean? You can't see in my head so like you know anything about me!"

"But I know Alex, you two shared the smallest of connections, it allowed me to see your memories the ones you hold close or mean a lot to you, or those that harmed you the most~ Like when you lost Tio, you killed half of Crossbell city, sank a part of it and afterwards the Dominion, who by the way I'm quite fond of, they went in and took the rest of the city down and those that lived within~"

My eyes widened, my body tensed at his words. "Y-You did see them…!"

"But you told them that didn't you? What about you killing Ikaruga? What about when you tried to kill Laura, twice?" He smiled, his eyes staring right at me, or rather my soul. 'I can feel Shizuna's stare, fuck!'

The hot air somehow sent a shiver. One I did not like but understood all too well.

"I did." Just like that, the killing intent refocused on Relon.

"Be silent, Relon Lucinance! I've told you once already!"

"Relon? How could you-"

"BE SILENT!" Zero roared, rising from his throne.

"Everything from fighting Crest to what is to come; I've seen it. Countless times." Just like that, the flooring and walls cracked as Zero winced. "Shizuna, Van, I understand you're enraged! I get that! What happened in Shade's world happened there! Not here! Save whatever ramifications for after! That anger? Use it on Zero!"

"RELON!"

"BUZZ OFF!"

At once, both stepped forward, negative flames igniting to spew forward dispersing to both sides of the throne room. Within seconds, both ceased.

"Both of you, if either of you take your anger out on Shade. Here and now, instead of Zero, we all die. In an unimaginable way."

"Relon, what do you mean?" Rinwell, nervous understandably shaking, managed out.

"Relon," Zero called. "You better watch your next words carefully."

"Or what? You're going to do resort to that and rewrite everything?!"

"What do you-"

"YOU KNAT!" Somehow instantaneously, both elementals blitzed towards the middle. "TCH, YOU FLICKERING NUISANCE! YOU CAN'T JUST LISTEN TO WARNINGS, CAN YOU?!"

"I GUESS THAT MAKES SENSE! WE'RE BOTH STUBBORN AFTER ALL!"

As shockwave after shockwave erupts, the glass windows begin to crack before by the third wave, they shatter as the room suddenly upheaves itself. Forcing their fists to dive downward, both strike with their free hand to then spin kick away.

"Wait a second…" Munechika mumbles as her eyes furrow.

Boosting back at the other to lock hands, both headbutt for the flamed force to send them skidding back. As they do, both launch a cluster of black cinders that explode upon collision obstructing their view.

"Their moves…!" Elaine slowly begins to widen her eyes.

Reeling a hand, once again ignited, Relon thrusts forward timing the downed obstruction to once again strike another maw of black darkness.

"They're the same?!" Nadia exclaims.

"Relon," Zero growls. "Do you know what you've done?"

"Protect my friends, that's what. Come on, Zero, let's talk. From one Relon to another."

For a moment, none could utter a word. Given the sounds that followed Relon, it was a given how speechless everyone was.

I looked over, then I shook my head as I stepped forward. "I knew Zero was an asshole, same to you, didn't know you were one in the same!" I pulled out my hand guns, aiming right at Zero but holding fire for now.

"Relon…! You…!"

"The Temporal Laws have already screwed us either way so what's some more damaging?"

"But I thought we were fine to say whatever here?" Rinwell gasped to hold her head. "Wait, but Zero is Relon? So is Relon Zero? I don't get this!"

"Hoot!"

"You've made a grave mistake, Relon…!" Zero growled, raising his hand as a familiar rift emerged. Out came a destructive-looking purple blade.

"That blade looks like Pappan, but… it's different!" Shizuna noted, still shocked by the sudden revelation.

"That's what happens when another elemental takes control of it without being properly synced!" Relon explained. "After all, you never properly regained your proper synchronicity after killing Alister! Or should I say McBurn?!"

"RELON!" With a strike at the air, Alter-Pappan unleashed a rift.

"Not on my watch!" Copying the attack, a rift emerged as a ghastly power shot for the two only to vanish into the rift. On and on it went, like an endless sea.

Clicking his teeth, Zero finally releases a low breath as he loses his fighting stance. "You've ruined everything, Relon."

"I'm doing what I can to protect everyone! Your methods aren't the same as mine!"

"BECAUSE I'VE EXPERIENCED WHAT YOU HAVEN'T! I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS! I LIVED THROUGH IT ALL! YOU WERE ONLY A SPECTATOR!"

"AWAKENING YOUR SECOND MARKING THROUGH WATCHING THE ORPHANAGE BURN, KILLING JUSIS' FATHER, AND GOING ON A KILLING SPREE?! MASSACRING ALL OF SENATE AND EVEN ALISTER?! MERGING WITH ISHMELGA TO CHEAT AT OMNIPOTENCE AND ERASING ALL TRACES OF THE ELEMENTALS, NAMIKAZES, AND EVEN AIDIOS?! MIND-WIPING OUR OWN MOTHER AND FRIENDS INTO FORGETTING US AND TO KILL INNOCENTS?! YOU MURDERED MUSSE AND ALFIN! YOU ALTERED LAURA AND CLAIRE INTO MURDERING! YOU LOVED THEM! ALL OF THEM! THINK, RELON, THINK! THE END DOESN'T JUSTIFY THE MEANS!"

"So that's what you saw, so what stands before us is a you that handled everything poorly! But that doesn't explain what you told me, about being in the beyond and slipping into this world, how you were just bored and wanted to hop into a new world after this one! So what the hell do you mean by that!?"

For a moment, Zero simply glared. It seemed like that of a child willing to kill. A pout so powerful, a parent likely couldn't ignore. His eyes bore into Relon's very soul and Relon stared back. Slitted eyes faced complete darkness. Then, with a heavy breath, Zero turned and walked away approaching his throne.

Relon and I both fired, two smoking holes at the grooves of his chair now lied forcing Zero to stop. Without a care in the world, he plopped atop his throne with an indifferent expression.

"Doesn't matter. Now that the Prime Me has just screwed everything up. Maybe I meant what I said? Maybe I said that just because you were an unregistered asset that appeared in my longtime plan. Who knows, who cares?" He shrugged.

"I CALL BULLSHIT YOU ASSHOLE!" Letting out an annoyed sigh I aimed right at his head.

"Doesn't matter, now I have to alter my plans. Yes, I am Relon Tarbin Namikaze-Lucinance. Once, the prime Relon in the universe known as 'Legend of Heroes.' Go on Shade, I know you want to comment so say whatever now so I can continue."

I fired my gun at his head, he easily blocked it and glared at me. "Didn't ask asshole!"

"Perception of Time." He waved off uncaringly.

"Like I care who or what you are, I didn't want to come here, I was just here! I want home, but I'm not leaving until I can say this world won't die!"

"See, that's where the problem stands!" He points. "That guy, right there," he gestures at Relon. "Believe or not, I was going to willingly give all of my power to him! But noooooo, he just had to play the good guy we were raised to be! Screw the ramifications!"

"You'd give me the powers of a God in exchange for being the only living thing on this planet! If I have to watch everyone I love die before my eyes again, I'm just restarting the loop you caused!"

"ENOUGH! TIME THE SHIT OUT!" Altogether, we look back remembering the others to be here, at the center; Rinwell.

Marching forward, eyes ablaze in unbridled fury she stopped in-between us.

"Language, 'Tales girl.'"

"Make me proud Rinwell!" I yelled out, both hands raised in the air as I smile behind my mask.

"YOU!" She pointed at Relon. "YOU KEPT MORE FROM US AGAIN AND NOT JUST ANYTHING, BUT TIME-ALTERING MIND-BENDING POSSIBILITIES THAT YOU AGAIN HELD AND DIDN'T TELL US LEAVING YOURSELF TO CARRY A UNIVERSAL BURDEN!"

"I did," Relon jerked slightly.

"AND YOU, ALTER-RELON-WHO-I-DISTASTEFULLY-HAVE-TO-STILL-CALL-MY-COUSIN! YOU WARPED YOUR GIRLFRIEND AND YOUR FUTURE SECOND GIRLFRIEND INTO KILLERS! SCREWED OVER THE LIFE OF YOUR EVENTUAL THIRD GIRLFRIEND PROBABLY! YOU FLAT OUT TOOK THE LIFES OF THE PRINCESS AND MUSSE! BOTH WHO LOOKED UP TO YOU HIGHER THAN THE FUCKING SUN ITSELF!"

"Completely," Zero shrugged once more. "Erased some existences from reality, converted my rage and agony into the purest of malevolence. Dealt a deal with Ishmelga, and killed a lot to set up for when the new Prime Relon would eventually show. Glad I didn't have to wait long at least."

"AND WHY DID YOU CALL ME TALES GIRL?!'"

"Oh?" He blinked as if in interest. "You don't know? Oh wait, of course not, I never met you until you came here with my prime version." He chuckled as those words finally made the tyrant Rinwell halt her rant.

"Huh?"

"When I was still considered the 'prime' and 'only' Relon, I never met you. That big grand fight against Senate? Never happened. I was a smart boy and held my tongue, not making countless die. Meeting Grandmother? Didn't happen until I joined with Ishmelga. My sister? Found her killed by archaisms, the last five percent of Aidios winding up with Ishmelga. Not like it mattered." He shrugged a third time, as Munechika's own magical presence flared.

"T-Then… How…?"

"We Relons are what we universally call ourselves 'abnormalities.' Hence why in the Relonverse, we are the main characters, the sole being at the epicenter of all that occurs in our universe. When something happens, the original Relon made a failsafe that the injured universe that lost a Relon in some way shape or form would reset. History and all."

"S-So? That could mean you just missed me when you were the prime!"

"Ah, you'd think so." He vanished to reappear in front of us. "But no. When a universe with Relon resets, any changes across the Relonverse act as a sort of vacuum, sucking up other problems from other universes and jumbling them all together." He flickers away to appear in the middle of the others as he looks straight at Munechika. "So when I failed and Relon over there came into being, you, some girl that originally belonged to a different Relon in a different universe, got brought over here. Your original story, lost amongst the Temporal Laws, as your new background likely similar to whatever it really was before began." Then he flickered back to his chair sitting criss-cross. "You happened to belong to the 'Tales Relon's universe'. Unfortunately, something happened. Maybe he died, maybe something else. Who knows. Now, your new life is tethered with him. A cousin who caused the birth of a senate member, a person that wants to kill your dear cousin."

"Huh? N-No, you're wrong."

"Rinwell, ask Relon. Ask your dear beloved cousin who's fought tooth and nail to make sure you got back home. He saw everything that I'd planned. Past, present, and future. You know it yourself. After all, Relons. Don't. Lie."

That seemed to be the gut-wrenching jab in her metaphorical coffin as her eyes widened before she slumped to the warm ground.

"N-No way… Relon…"

"Don't be distraught. It's a universal truth that all Prime Relons don't lie. Of course, given I failed as the prime and was replaced, I can lie about all kinds of things and it feels so good. But, for you, I didn't. Because the Relon in me couldn't bear to make you more defeated than you already are. Just know, while you and all those insignificant people look on slackjawed, only myself and Relon truly have to suffer. Maybe you all should bow and just let what happens next come more simply. Alas, not all can be as easy. Isn't that right, Shade, Prime Relon?"

Once again I shot at him, this time it connected right next to his head, hitting the throne. "Doesn't matter where she came from, doesn't matter what universe or whatever you were yapping about! Rinwell is Rinwell! My friend who I see as a younger sister that I may or may not have corrupted! All you are doing is yapping about how sad your life is, guess what?! WHO THE HELL CARES! Want a pity party? Want people to cry? Then be the bitch you are and cry like one!"

"I don't expect everyone to care, much less listen. All I really need is to veil the meanings I use for Relon and Vita to eventually figure out. In truth, I'm helping even now. But I suppose I've explained enough to Relon. If my prime self doesn't care about the Temporal Laws, then someone has to." At that, Pappan returned to his side ending the portal as Relon did too. "So, this was bound to happen after all. Let's make it happen everyone!"

"Zero, you've done everything for me." Relon says, stepping forward as Zero descending his stairs. "Even if you believed what you did to be for the greater good of our universe, I don't! Whether all of us or just me, you're going down!"

"Given all of your friends are stone-still, it may really be just you!"

That's when I sensed it, like before when I was fighting Hollow, with a grin I looked right at Zero, ready to react. A faint whizzing sound came and we watched a shot of light shoot into the room from the window and hit the back of the throne, blowing it up. The same type of attack Magilou did before. "The hell!?"

In that instant I brought up my guns and started firing. "Think fast asshole!"

"Crescent Strike!" Relon shouted, hurling a black-flamed crescent at Zero.

"Pesky things!" Zero spat, returning his glare on us as a he conjures a black transparent forcefield for my bullets be outsped by Relon's flame attack.

Hitting the shield first, it instantly breaks to Zero's annoyance as my bullets land their mark.

"Tch!" He clicked his teeth in annoyance. "So that woman that came with you was good for a measly sneak attack. She'll regret that, just like you two all have!"

"What, couldn't see it coming?" I joked, standing where I was in case any attacks came our way. "I thought you were an all-knowing asshole, or was that just for show~?"

"Cocky thing through and through, aren't you?"

"The future Zero and I shared of this fight has changed since I revealed his identity. Meaning from this point on, both he and I are fighting blind so anything we do now, he'll be more cautious of," Relon explained.

"It doesn't matter. The powers of Aidios will soon be within my grasp once more!" At that, a dark shockwave washes over the tattered throne room as everyone is forced to their knees. "Your own friends, our own mother now questions their allegiance to you, Relon! Was this path, this third path, truly the right call?!"

"D-Damn it, he still has this much?!" Relon growled out, attempting to rise back up. 'I'm not going to ever kneel to some god or goddess, they never bothered to help back then so why should I care!'

"Aidios…? Yeah, well fuck that bitch!" I forced myself up, raising my arms up and started firing at him again.

"Shade, you dumbass. Simple attacks such as that have no affect on me and yet you're persisting."

"Protect them…!" Relon tells himself aloud next to me. "Zero, even if they choose to turn their backs on me, I'll fight… as I always have!" On his feet, black flames erupt. "My family, my friends, Shizuna, Kallen, Mom!" Then Relon bore his fury. "Pippin!" Grasping his old reliable, he jumped as I continued to unload. "Flame… Cleaver!" Striking the ground, geysers of flames erupt a trail towards Zero.

"Hmpf." Reaching for Alter-Pappan, he strikes a portal.

"No you don't!" Relon roars, switching swords to open a rift and going through it to emerge out of Zero's. "Ha!" He roars to swing Pippin as both swords explode in a plume of dark flames.

Skidding back to me, Relon doesn't give way launching back to clash with Zero once more. Striking horizontally, he parries Zero to jump bringing down a vertical strike hitting the ground. 'I can follow their movements with my senses, but my body is too slow!'

"Gotcha!" Zero shouts, for Relon to lean to the side pivoting Pippin at an angle and clashing one more as another explosion of dark fire erupts. "Every bit the same as I am; stubborn!"

"It takes a Relon to know a Relon!" He wipes at his mouth.

Looking back at Rinwell still on the ground I let out a huff. "Relon, I'll hold the back line to make sure no one gets hit! I'll add more energy behind my shots and try to time them with your attacks!" I step forward in front of Rinwell.

"S-Shade…!" She manages out. I glanced back at her, smiling even if she couldn't see it. 'To protect them, I'm willing to go all the way, even if it brings out the worst side of me!'

"Shade…" Looking back to the others with struggling looks, Zero's chuckling gains our attention.

"That's a wise move. Let us elementals go at it. You can't keep up as you are now. As for you, Relon. The moment you try to absorb that attack, I'll really stop you."

"Bull…shit!" Van winces out for the pressure to be amplified slightly.

"Hush van, the non-humans are talking. The natural ones." Zero says with a finger to his lips.

Looking back at the others, I notice that calculating look on Relon. He was conjuring something. Though him powering down suddenly made me question what he was doing next.

"Oh?"

"Relon? What're…?"

"I'll leave them to you then, Shade." Releasing Pippin who returns to its normal sword form, he moves in front of me. His eyes looking once again to Zero.

"You're seriously challenging me to a one-on-one? Really?" Wordlessly, Relon places a hand to his chest. "You, a weaker version of me using a substitute mark versus I, the strongest elemental. The vision we saw didn't foresee this, haha! I'll admit, this is something I am curious about. But, if two Relons are going to fight, then this room won't be enough."

"Kallen, Mom," Relon called. "We're going all out."

Then Zero snapped his fingers and the entire ceiling and remaining dispersed into rubble as the ships and chaos was revealed.

"Do you believe that cheap eye trick can handle the eyes I possess?"

Ignoring him, Relon takes in another deep breath. The sounds of misery and the will to live seeming to not bother him.

"Now then, can you make me try? Let's see what you have, Prime me." With that, a gust of wind surges past us but our footing remains.

"Let's go, Helios. Spirit Unification: Beyond Hope!"

Past my feet, black flames embed themselves along the ground to spiral into a pattern of sorts. Steadily, marking emerge along Relon's skin as the flames all converge into his body. Before our very eyes, the red in his eyes is consumed by black leaving only white slits. More and more, the footing around us rumbles. Then the bleak sky begins to waver. Slowly, flames begin to protrude from his back until the shape of simple black-enflamed wings manifest.

Swords orbiting his form to take their rightful places in his grasp, another breath, this one visibly a faint black, his lifts up to face Zero.

"Is that it? Nothing's changed since you destroyed my last reactor. I figured absorbing the power I gave to Crest would give you another boost."

That's when it happened.

The hand he used to wave dismissively was missing. I blinked as did Zero. Then I looked to Relon no longer where he was but past Zero at the edge behind his destroyed throne. On the ground, there laid Zero's unmoving hand.

"Huh?" Turning, he saw it.

The glyphs orbiting Relon's body.

"Impossible!"

"An art?!"

"Lucinance Art…" Relon murmured.

Leaping out of reality, my instincts roar as I draw my weapons to the space behind me for Relon and Zero to both be there. Empty dull eyes looking absently at a pair of pitch-black yet the shock within was clear.

With a hand making contact with Zero, Relon's wings flapped sending them into the air.

"CHAOS BLAST!"

I winced. Three different times repeated as once again, a series of preemptive shockwaves pelted me. One look up and all I saw hovering in the sky was a plume of churning flames steadily expanding. Despite the distance, my own skin felt as though it was scorching. 'There's no way I could match them with my scythe, I have to wait for an opening to let my guns rip!'

From it, both boomed downwards. Sparks flew as the loud clinging of elemental-infused blades clashed. Visible blurs, one streak that was clearly Relon zoomed around the sky maneuvering in chase of a warping Zero.

"Try this!" Zero shouted, conjuring a ball of darkness to launch it only for Relon to deflect it with a wing before bringing Pippin down for Zero to block the attack with his bare hand. "Now!" He grins, swinging his blade for Pappan to block its other self. "Hehe, how about this!" Opening his maw, a spew of black fires for Relon to open his mouth devouring the attack to reel his head back. "What?!"

Contorting Zero's arms, Relon kicks his chin sending his other self into the air before blurring above him.

"HA!" Relon shouts, firing the black beam back out his mouth to crash into Zero's abdomen, sending the entity plummeting towards Shade.

Twirling my guns around to aim up, I started firing right into Zero's back, my finger pulling the trigger as fast as I could. The recoil was higher as each round was powered up, able to put holes into armored tanks. "Take that!"

Gasping, Zero's eyes meets mine out the corner of his as a grin forms.

"Gotcha."

Instincts flaring, a piercing line of black stikes from the clouds down to my location at a dehumanized creature. Falling over to fade to nothing, Relon lifts up to see Zero in half slowly put himself back together.

More and more, creatures once human, begin to seep from the ground.

"Duck," Relon simply says, gripping Pippin in its greatsword form. Doing so, I watch as he does a spin. "Repent… at the soulless hellfire. Flamberge!" With a broad swing, all monsters are cut in half as the second swing sends a crescent attack that slices Zero into quadrants.

Soaring to the recovering Zero, blades gleaming against his flames, an unreadable volley of strikes mince his skin into specs of flesh for Relon to toss Pippin upwards before unleashing a torrent of black fire until there's nothing left.

"D-Did… he…?" Swin musters out.

"J-Just… like… t-that?" Nadia wonders.

Then I saw it. Behind Relon, a silent portal emerged as Zero's hand coated in darkness reach for him. Then came down Pippin lodging itself in his arm.

"Pippin, you meddlesome metal!" Zero roared, as Relon's wings grabbed him. "Tch, how?! How did you use that?! That technique doesn't belong to you!"

Wordlessly, Relon retains his back to Zero. Without warning, Zero explodes forcing him away though he seems unbothered.

"Answer me! Speak! I WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU DID THAT!"

Looking to his hands as both swords converge back on him, he still doesn't answer.

"RELON LUCINANCE, I AM-" Then came a blitzed punch, the force knocking Alter-Pappan out.

"Bastard!" Zero seethes, recoiling to begin an exchange of blows.

Looming behind, both Pippin and Pappan engage Alter-Pappan.

With a careful parry, Relon tosses Zero down to connect his heel with Zero's chin before grappling his legs into a pile driver. Down and down, their flames and darkness increase.

"They're… gonna… crash…!" Elaine manages.

At the last second, Zero recovers to vanish as Relon flaps his wings to a sudden halt in motion before zooming forward as does Zero. Both their hands locking in place. 'Is that…?'

Relon knew what he was doing. Even if Zero was another him, the way they thought may mirror the other but the biggest difference in this fight was that Zero was alone. Relon, hands locked with Zero had just given me a perfect view and nothing was gonna stop me from enjoying this next attack. Putting both guns up I held the trigger, a ball of energy formed in between them, sparks popping out from it. "Voltage Barrage!" The ball shot out towards Zero at a greater speed than any of my other attacks. 'Let's see how he likes that one!'

Maneuvering around each other to kick off, Zero snaps his head in time to be greeted by my attack as Relon blurs right behind him to strike his back with flames.

"GAK!"

Then came the electric discharge in the form of a dome erupt far off.

"D-Did… Relon..!"

To answer Munechika's question, Relon appeared from the sky next to me to hover just off the ground.

"You two…" Hand aimed as do my guns, Zero appears out of reality with a huff patting his outfit. "Are certainly annoying together more than separated."

"Glad to not disappoint, yet at the same time you are also so damn annoying!" I looked at him then at Relon, then at my own guns. That attack used a lot of my energy, I tried to keep my breathing calm enough.

"Having a vast arsenal that defies reality can be quite helpful. Now then…" Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of dread emerged as Relon shot in front of me to guard nothing with both his blades and wings only to crash past me and out of view. "Let's get him out of the way, first. I can't kill him but I have no reason to stop from enjoying the fuckery I'll do to you." He boasts calmly as he looks at the swords duking it out.

"You can't kill me either, chuckle nuts!" I aim right at him.

"You have no idea how wrong you are, you ignorant side character." Instincts flaring at the voice behind me, I snap back to see nothing. "All you are is a supporting cast to we Relons. Whether you have ended up with my other half down there or another." I fire besides my head for a force to knock me to the edge. "Felt that, didn't you? Couldn't react to it either, eh? See? That's the difference between not us, but you and Relon. Now, either power up like you did against that useless Crest or just die."

Letting out a ragged breath I looked right at him, no doubt he knows I can't power up like that again on my own. Knowing now was the time I looked over at Vita and nodded, not even bothering to see if she understood. I put my guns away and looked right at Zero. "Then try to kill me you emo looking bitch!"

"Ugh, even non-humans are still annoying. Very well. But first…" Pivoting out of the way of Relon's sneak attack, Zero smiles. "I'm putting you away for a bit." With a single knee, far faster than any previous attack, Relon's eyes widen as he falls to the ground out of his form. "There," Zero brushes at his knee. "Now then, would you like physical or mental pain? I can do testicular torsion. Or I could have you relive your life and see how to screw it up worse. Ooh, I know." Walking back, his hand opens to reveal a notebook. "That nice witch from before mentioned in a report of you and my Relon looking for people. Claire and Musse were obvious. I foresaw that. Hmm. Ah, that's right! You were focused on the SSS! Which one though? Tio I think? Can you guess what this book I have does? I'll give you a guess, Shade. It relates to death." He spoke, revealing a pen. 'You wouldn't… Then why doesn't he use it on the others over there?'

"S-Shade…!" Shizuna struggled.

"Just fall into the depths of despair, Shade. Knowing she died by my hand!" All I could do was take the kick as I'm sent ragdolling off the platform.

"Haha… Good thing I didn't form many personal connections to this place, they aren't my versions, all you get from killing them is me being more pissed off…" I darkly smiled under my mask. "Plus, I thought that book was just all the lyrics to all those sad romance songs you like to write!"

Walking to the edge with an impassive face, he vanishes for me to feel a gut check followed by a smack of the book to my cheek.

"Stupid!" Whack. "Ignorant!" Whack! "Pesky!" WHACK! "WHATEVER THE HELL YOU ARE!" The book, coated in darkness cuts open my throat. 'He doesn't know what I am…?'

Down I fell to suddenly feel something warm grab me.

With my one still good eye, all I could do was watch Zero toss the book and pen into the air as he dodged both blades. Before my eyes, the pen controlled by his meticulous hand scribbled.

Three letters. Then a pause. Slowly, an uncomfortable surge of forewarning dread lurked in my chest. I could only reach my hand as Zero smiled, snapping his fingers for the pen to go still.

On the platform, Relon places me down as both swords converge as Zero appears across from us.

"Your recovery ability is quite nifty. Not needing an elemental weapon I mean. Though, I suppose everything has its pros and cons. Such as you focusing on people in a different world. You can say you don't care but you can't lie to me. Anyone, maybe, but not me. I know all truths from lies. She's gone now and you can 'not care' all you want. Neither of you are a match for me when I'm semi-serious."

I started healing already, while I couldn't tell if she really was gone from this world I knew from earlier he doesn't tell lies, until now. "Heh, ow, add being bitched slap by a book to my list of hits…" I slowly stood up, the feeling inside me was nearly there, my body was shaking. "That… all?"

"I'm gonna yeet you now."

"Huh?"

All I felt was an impact upon my heart. Blood shot from my eyes, mouth, and nose as a single punch from Zero's new position next to a shocked Relon left me.

In one punch, one unresponsive blow, my vision began to warp to black. I was flying away, quickly I couldn't sense anyone else, just as I neared the edge of the city I could feel it happen, my mind slipping, yet the last thing I did was smile. 'I hope… none of you see me differently… none of you die from me… that when I wake up you'll all be alive and we have won…'

3rd POV.

Magilou walked up to the command area while watching the fight, it wasn't the easiest to make out but she was able to see a few things. "Huh, wonder if I kicked everything off? Oh well, not like I can do anything else from here aside from watch." She looked at the terminal in her hands, she was able to watch but everything moved too quickly, she didn't bother saying anything to Shade during the fight but it looked pretty crazy over there.

"Magilou, what's the situation over there?!" Alex yelled out, running over.

"Huh? Oh a bunch of fighting, man it's weird every time I see you… Mmm?" She was able to faintly hear what was going on, but when she saw the book and heard what Zero could do she stared. "Yeah, bunch of fighting…" Magilou walked past Alex who looked confused.

"Huh? Hey! Let me see, if Shade is fighting I want to know if I need to rush in and help!" Magilou ignored him, glancing at the screen she saw Shade falling, then the pen writing something in the book.

As she walked into the control room she was surprised to see a woman she hadn't met before standing next to Tio, who was looking completely fine. "Tio, how's the fight on your end, oh don't bother asking for Shade, he's fine!"

Before Tio could respond the woman started first. "Oh? You must be Magilou, I'm Angela, Alex's mother!" She smiled and walked over, Magilou looked at Tio then back at her.

"Huh, meaning Shade's mom is another you, a dead you but still…" Magilou placed the terminal on something and looked back at Tio.

(She's fine, there's more to me than just being a mother to two kids with demon blood!) She winked and walked back to Tio who looked at them both with confused looks. Magilou stared at Angela. 'I don't even want to know, but at least I don't have to deal with that stuff, for now.'

"Mom? When did you get here?" Alex walked up, almost pushing Magilou out the way. "Hey!" Magilou was ignored

"Just came to see how my sons are doing," She smiled and placed a hand up between her mouth and Tio. (And to see my potential daughter-in-law~)

"M-MOM!?"

"U-Um, Miss Angela, I don't know about that…" Tio looked away and so did Alex. Magilou only looked on with a blank stare.

"Yeah, I'm gone, the show is about to start so I'm getting front row seats." They all looked confused until suddenly they felt a pulse of energy passed by them, all of the machines died and they felt the hair on their arms stand on end.

"Mom, is this…?"

"It's Shade, so he unleashed it… Come, help Tio outside, it's best we watch as well knowing you may one day have this power!" Angela walked out with Alex helping Tio right behind her.

With all four of them outside they watched as a bolt hit what remained of the tower, sparks of blue energy coming out from it. "So that must be…" Alex started.

"The power of Shade, he has unleashed the extent of his power!" Angela said, looking almost unfazed.

"Alex, does this mean you'll also have this power?" Tio asked, her eyes still on the tower.

"One day he will, for Shade's grew from all the fights, all the events he's been in, there's more to being a demon than fighting and controlling…"

"Shade, let me see what you can do!" Magilou with a wicked smile crossed her arms, a glint in her eyes as she watched the scenes unfold.

Moments before at the top of the tower. Everyone watched as Shade was punched away, they could hear the sound of his bones breaking, some were confused on why Shade stopped fighting, why he just stood there, why he wasn't fazed by what was happening.

"What's wrong Shade? Ran out of gas?! Did that special body of yours finally give in? GIVE ME SOMETHING WORTH FIGHTING AT LEAST, HAHAHAHAHA!"

At that moment a pulse of energy quickly rushed over everyone from where Shade was punched at, the energy made everyone's hair stand on end, while it wasn't easy to notice, some could feel the demonic aura behind it as well a scent of sulfur in the air now.

"Oh?" Zero blinked, peering off the edge towards Shade. "Seems you got some fight left after all…" He mumbled, licking his lips.

Before his and everyone's eyes, they saw a blue energy bolt come from the outer edges of the city towards them at speeds that could rival some of the fastest airships. Zero immediately moved back just in time for the bolt to land on the tower, before everyone stood Shade, electric outlines of demonic looking claws on his hands and forearms, four blue electric tendrils shooting out of his back, waving in the air. He was silent yet everyone could feel how threatening he was.

All Zero did was whistle.

"Relon gave me a few good fights. Can you do the same?" With a hand, blots of black manifested. "Let's find out, shall we?" Without warning, the orbs shot like sentient waves darting in different directions towards the awakened teen.

Shade stood there as they hit, but even Zero could hardly tell that they did in fact hit as he couldn't see any wounds on him. Each wound healed within an instant, making it almost seem like Shade just absorbed the attacks. Before Zero could speak he was suddenly on the ground as Shade was above him, claws digging into his chest, a dust cloud formed a second later around them from the impact.

"Ack! N-Not bad…" Zero cackled out. "But I'll need you to GET OFF!" Once more, the black transparent shockwave shot Shade up. "Now then, my turn!" Vanishing to reappear, Zero draws Alter-Pappan to coat it with darkness, lodging it in Shade's abdomen.

Shade turned his head towards Zero, before Zero could react, one of Shade's tendrils shot out towards the handle of the blade, wrapping around Zero's wrist. The area it touched burned before it pulled, ripping off any skin around the area. Shade as this happened grabbed the blade and pulled out, his other tendrils started spawning other tendrils from them like tree branches, growing in different sizes.

"You're quite the freak yourself, huh? Well then, two can play!" From Zero's form, multiple tendrils oozing unknown liquids arched to meet Shade's own.

As they touched Zero's eyes widened as his were burned away, vaporizing into nothing.

"Erk!" Zero winced, to snap his eyes back at the throne's platform. "Damn, my suppression veil!"

True to his words, the power holding everyone down had come undone.

Moving away he and everyone watched as some of Shade's tendrils went down to the city below, his main four staying with him. Shade tossed the sword Zero had back towards him, that's when Vita stepped up.

"We're getting out of this area now! Munechika!" Vita exclaimed, already channeling as Munechika nodded adding another layer of glyphs overtop Vita's own.

"Where's Relon?!" Rinwell shot up looking around.

"He's still far below us! He'll be fine!" She said before, without warning, they flashed away.

"Damn you, Vita! Fucking nuisance of a mother…!"

The ground below shook as Shade's main four tendrils started to race towards Zero, down below near the ground the other tendrils ranging in size tore through buildings, the ground, Zero's tower and underground areas. One that was the size of the largest roots that scattered the land, swept across the city and even wrapped around the base of the tower like a snake.

"Ourouboros…" Vita murmured from a magical platform a safe distance away. "It's as if… No. Not quite."

"A pincer attack? You know such won't work, Shade!" With a slash, he sliced the tendrils to shoot up. "I asked for a challenge! Where's that speed from a second ago?!"

At first he saw Shade disappear, then he felt pain from his left ear, lastly the small boom from the air snapping around. He moved away, holding the side of his head where he could tell his ear was no longer there, blood rushed down. Shade was in one spot, then another, he was moving closer to Zero but there seemed to be three different versions of Shade walking with even the tendrils matching the speed.

"Now that's speed! Too bad though!" Zero's pitch black eyes gleam for a moment before he splits off into three blitzing each image of Shade. "I'm just as fast!"

The entire tower shook, down below most of the city started sinking into the ground, some of the buildings were on fire as well as the underground facilities. A few explosions went off as Shade's tendrils tore through, the tower then sunk and tilted before stopping. Shade as Zero rushed him didn't dodge, only moving his head to track Zero's movements.

Just outside the city many stopped moving, bracing for impact in case the destruction came their way. Those on the platform Vita had made, watched looking down with awe in their eyes, but for some they were worried by the state Shade was in, that he had warned them about.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH EFFORT IT TOOK TO MAKE THAT?!" With a flicker, Zero blurs around Shade striking at every part of his body to no effect. "LET'S SEE HOW YOU LIKE LOSING SOMETHING PRECIOUS! LIKE YOUR HEAD!" He careens forward.

Shade reached for his scythe and pulled it out before Zero could even blink, sensing the danger Zero dodged as a slash of blue energy blur past him, cutting through some of the floor like a knife through butter, yet it kept going until it hit the hills outside the city where a large explosion happened.

"Haha… So that's what you're capable of!" Repositioning high in the sky overlooking everything. "Then… What if I did the same?"

Clasping his hands together, a single blob of darkness materialized before it stretches out. Taking on the form of a branch, its arms extend more and more until it covers the sky. Glowing that eerie color, roots emerge acting as a skeletal structure of sorts. More and more it, stretching as far as the human eye could see.

"How shall you deal with this? Be submerged by the blanket of death!" With a finger, it dropped.

Shade looked up and pulled out his handgun, aiming up and firing off rounds like it was a machine gun towards the blanket of roots, the moment the first round hit the area surrounding it was engulfed in a blue electric sphere that eradicated everything within. There were hundreds of rounds and the sky was no longer covered in vile roots, but the swarm of electricity.

Behind Shade's back electric blue demonic looking wings formed, made of pure energy which allowed him to fly from the tower to the middle of the air, his stare locked onto Zero.

"Wings? Seriously? Can't help but copy Relon, can you?" He clicked, not caring of his now disintegrated attack. "Oh well. You seem like you can still dance, so let's." He poised a hand in a coming fashion.

Putting his gun away Shade summoned a small ball of energy before him, which was getting brighter and turning more blue as the seconds rolled by.

"Seen it," Zero commented, doing the same. "Done it."

Shade moved back from the sphere of energy, everyone from the ground, from the platform Vita made and even Zero suddenly sensed a level of heat as well as how much power was in it.

Shade reeled his arm back, holding his scythe then he swung into the sphere. A blue beam shot into the sky above, clouds darkened and sparked with thunder strikes hitting random points, then a pulse of demonic energy spawned from where the beam hit. That pulse made the skin on Zero burn, it made all the roots burn away in an instant while anything else around wasn't touched, it kept going and going. All around the world what roots were there were burned away, anything that was made by Zero was burned by the overwhelming power that came from Shade, which was pure destruction.

On the ground Tio watched in awe, while it was destruction at its core, it had a sense of beauty to it as well. "Wow…

"Mom, what was that move?" Alex asked yet he didn't look over, his eyes were also glued to the scene before him.

"The spark that ignited the world… The fact he did it unconsciously without any mess ups is truly a wonder." Angela crossed her arms.

"What do you mean?

"That attack could very well end all human life if the target was them, yet it only attacked that which belongs to Zero and it's a move that some need years of practice to just pull off, your father told me about all his moves and how that one was one he only pulled off once in his long life…" She looked down, appearing to be deep in thought. "Go grab your brother, I will need him and you soon."

"Huh? U-Um alright, I'll be back!" Alex rushed off towards the field, the battle was long over with everyone now just watching the fight in the sky happen.

"What are you about to do?" Magilou asked, standing next to the woman.

"What is needed…"

Back in the sky above everyone, Shade tilted his head as he felt Zero nearby. "I'm impressed." The voice of Zero spoke behind Shade. "That attack actually hurt." He didn't need to turn to know Zero floated next to him. "Are you finished?" He vanished. "Otherwise I'll assume it's my turn…!"

Shade's tendrils shot towards wherever Zero was at, tracking his every movement as Shade floated there. Right before Zero appeared in a spot Shade swung his scythe that way, another wave of energy shot out from it.

"It's still your turn, huh?" He snapped his fingers, vanishing one more as the attack passed, vanquishing another hilltop. "Even after ruining my world…"

Shade swung again and again, waves of energy shot out towards Zero, each time he would vanish again leaving the area behind him to get hit instead. Shade's tendrils that were branching off slowly disappeared, leaving just the four remaining, Shade put away his scythe and looked right at Zero.

"Good, boy. Get it out. All of it! Right. Now!"

Zero then felt a punch connect to his face sending him flying, before he could make much distance his ankle was grabbed, claws digging into it. "ARG! You waste of-" Shade reached forward and grabbed Zero's face, his thumb went into his mouth which then left along with Zero's jaw as Shade pulled it off, tendrils wrapped around both halves of Zero, pulling in four different directions. Everyone watched as Zero was ripped into many pieces from both Shade's two hands and his tendrils, blood pouring out with some landing on him. "Putred TRAAAAAASH!"

The pieces of zero descended. Lifelessly, like tossed specs of garbage. One by one, they flickered into black flames before cinders and then finally nothing.

"That's four," Zero spoke, brushing himself off gaining Shade's attention. "Divide four by two. Two stands for you and my prime self. Two of you, both dealing heavy damage to me twice. Two in two. Two and two. Two plus two makes four. Why divide then? Because when you cut the source in half, it becomes two. Two divided by two is one. With you now done for, there is only I. The sole being left. One who will become everything. One, who shall be reduced… to Zero. You've had your two chances, now we've reached the requirements necessary."

Stopping a flamming fist, his eyes look over to Relon.

"You made it. Just in time. As you always do." From above, the sky shatters as a white rift manifests. "You two have had your chances here. Now, it's my turn. In my world!" Attempting to pull away, Relon and Shade are struck by an invisible force keeping them in place. "Let us go to where all are in limbo. The space between life and death, heaven and hell, the Beyond and Gehenna. To the Dimensional Graveyard!"

"No! Relon!" Kallen exclaims, flickering out of existence.

"Kallen, wait!"

One moment they were there, the next they were gone.

Back with Angela, Alex rushed back with Vergil behind him. "Mom, you wanted me?!" Both boys stood in front of her, with a smile she nodded then reached out her hand where a small flame left towards the direction of where Vita and everyone else was. Sending them a message in flames saying "Witches, join me!"

"Huh?"

"Mom?" Both boys looked at her confused, Tio and Magilou both glanced over at her, wondering what her plan was.

Above the magical platform, everyone could only watch as magical words appeared before them.

"A magic signature?" Munechika snaps alongside Vita and Rinwell. "An ally?"

"That's not this world's Sissy so who?"

"Let's find out then." Vita says. "And fast." Channeling more power, she and Munechika thrust their hands for all to vanish.

As they all appear before Angela. "Good, as quick as I had hoped. I heard much about you Azure Abyss. And it's nice to see you again Rinwell, Munechika." Angela steps forward towards them with a smile.

"Nice to meetcha again." Rinwell steps forward. "Kinda in the middle of a fight so what're you doing?"

"Well the rift between our world and the Beyond is open, soon it will begin to leak out and affect not just us but the world unless it's closed or we put a shield up." Angela smiles as she puts her hands together in front of her, suddenly a magic circle surrounds herself and slowly gets bigger.

"If I had time I wouldn't need the help, but the rift was still opened, plus Relon and Shade are inside so closing it is impossible, so our option is the shield, I just need the mana for it!" With a small burst the circle surrounds everyone, with five open circles with lines leading to Angela.

"Why did you choose now to do something though?" Rinwell asks. "Why not join us when we first met?"

"Because back then if I had used this spell Zero would have come after me, and the time limit on the spell doesn't last long. Plus I had another plan in motion, one my husband had made before he was sealed down in his realm. After seeing you off, seeing that there was another version of my son here…I knew what I had to do. It shouldn't take long with your help and the spell will clear away Zero's influence while also blocking the effects of the Beyond. It might even allow you to go up there to help!" As she said

Hesitancy clear, one look at her fellow witches told Rinwell they didn't have many choices.

"Relon and Shade are up there fighting Zero alone," Rinwell glances up to the odd planetary structure in the sky. "We have to hurry!"

"Relon…" Shizuna mumbles, to clench her hand. "Let's do it!"

"Munechika?" Vita asks.

"We have no other choice for providing assistance."

"All I needed to hear."

With that Vita, Rinwell and Munechika stood in one of the five circles, as they started to concentrate on flowing mana to Angela they noticed the Pendent on Rinwell was glowing along with Munechika's ribbon. "Ah, you two must be close with Shade to get gifts from him, powerful ones that contain his power no less!" Angela closes her eyes, her body glowing red as far above everyone the same magic symbol appears. "It will help with this!"

"Looks like these are more useful than we originally thought!" Rinwell beams with relief.

"The sooner we rejoin them, the better!"

"Those of you that can't help with the spell, get the heroes around ready, for Zero will see the true might of humanity! Boys, bring out your weapons, stab them in the open slots!" Looking at each other both Alex and Vergil bring out their weapons, walking over and plunging them into the ground which makes them start to glow red. At the same time those around aside from Magilou and Tio left to gather everyone that could assist in the fight far above.

"This spell was passed on to me, he was terrible at explaining it but he's lucky I picked up on things quick. Demonic Art: Realm Reborn!" The circle starts growing as Angela starts chanting in a whisper.

In the Beyond.

Neither boy knew where exactly they were.

The landscape had changed, both unable to discern what was real, words unable to put words on their own mere visions. A world all of its own size, far too small to be considered its own planet.

It was dim, light existed but it was as thought that very phenomena alone was sentient but fearful. It existed but its own life seemed threatened, as though on the verge of being extinguished.

That's when Relon saw it. His eyes, fully opening, finally took in the whole picture.

To both sides, seemingly dangerously close, stark in size yet eerily similar, floated two worlds. It seemed as though the small world they were on would crash into either or vice versa.

And there, before them both, a panting Kallen and across all alone stood a mirror to himself, a face once altered now no longer.

"K-Kallen…!"

"You're awake!" She gasps.

"Finally…" Zero breathes, regaining their attention. "Relon, do you know how long I've yearned for this moment?" He questions. "Earth on one side, and the Beyond on the other? So, so, agonizingly long. Now here we are. Yet, you're not by my side… Kallen."

"Who in their right mind would fight for a tyrant?! I'd rather die than ever go back to a monster like you!" She refutes, taking aim.

"Yet, here you are… with another me. One who'll eventually become a so-called 'tyrant' just as I did…"

"You're wrong! Relon is nothing like you!" She fires for Zero to tilt his head out of the way. "I'll personally make sure he doesn't become like you!"

"Oh?" His eyes narrowed as an eerie grin plastered itself across his face. "Is that a resolute declaration? Don't you know, we Relons have enough women to deal with as is. He doesn't need any more."

"I don't remember asking," she scoffs, firing more shots for the bullets to slow to a halt before Zero. "They haven't met me so screw it!" More and more, orbal-pellets obstruct Zero's form. "Shizuna is in, Rinwell agrees, hell, his own mom gave her blessing? You think I'm gonna let you take away the one light I've come across after being dragged away from your darkness?! Yeah, two words. Fuck. You!" With a swing of her blade, a small crescent is scent for her to fire a shot propelling it into the bundle as an explosion erupts. "I'm going to do things my way because it's my life!"

"Mh…"

Eyes widening as a grunt sounds from behind, Relon snaps to see Shade's struggling form still alive.

"Shade…!"

"I told him he'd die." One look back, alongside a click of annoyance from Kallen, and there stood Zero unfazed. "He boasted about that body of his but here, normal beings cannot survive. So-called 'demons' have no chance. Witch magic is too weak alone in my world!" At that, the entire world shook as it grew darker. "Welcome, my other me, Kallen, to the Dimensional Graveyard! The marker that shall signify my victory and reinduct me as the Prime Legend of Heroes Relon! The marker that shall be both your final resting places!"

Clicking in frustration, Relon takes his place in front of Shade. He couldn't move, much less talk. Within seconds, his struggling body seemingly went still.

"Shade!"

"Ah, he blacked out. Not surprised. From that dump of power, any ill-prepared would suffer quite the backlash. Of course, the longer he's here, the atmosphere shall poison him but don't worry, I'm allowing it to be slow and painful. Gotta give you all a chance, after all~."

"Even now… Zero, you still think this is all a game?!" Kallen growls.

"Relon, you…!" Relon calls for a shockwave to stagger them.

"DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME THAT INSUFFERABLE NAME!" That single roar alone forced Relon and Shade to ragdoll away yet it seemed as though the distance did not change between them and Zero. "Ahem, I am Zero. My original name is no more."

"N-No more…? G-Get… real!" Relon breathes. One hand after another, his face lifts to face the neutral look Zero sports. "That's the biggest… load of shit I've heard yet!" Another huff as he hunches over. "You gave up on Relon Lucinance? Don't make me laugh!" A slow rumble emits as black wisps dance around Relon. "That face, Class VII, Mom; you haven't given any of it up! You gave up Pippin yet you kept Pappan!"

"A weapon forged by Aidios belongs in the hands of an elemental and only an elemental."

"Then why give Pippin to Loewe? Stop the cap! That's just another excuse! If truly meant when you boast about loving to be alone then why keep someone like Kallen close when you saw the future?! We were all there so we know you saw it too! The future of us together! You were furious at me bringing her!"

"BECAUSE SEEING AN INFERIOR VERSION OF MYSELF KEEP MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE INFURIATES ME! YOU, A NOBODY, GOT TO BECOME THE PRIME?! ALL BECAUSE I DECIDED TO TAKE IT ALL BY MYSELF?! THE HATE, THE POWER, THE KNOWLEDGE?! THE PAIN, THE SUFFERING, THE AGONY?!"

All around, veil after veil of pitch-black darkness roared to life like tidal waves.

"Shit!" Relon curses, rushing for Shade only for his body to be washed away. "Damn it, Shade!"

"Move!"

"Drown, Relon Lucinance, Kallen Stadtfeld. In this world where you are so close yet so far from both homes. The Beyond, no longer alive because of me shall converge on Earth and I shall regain my omnipotence. Then, I shall deal with not just this world but the Relonverse!"

"NOT ON MY WATCH!"

Splashing from the black tides, one Relon with Shade tucked under his arms glares at the impassive Zero.

"HA!" He shouted, snapping the absorbing darkness like a whip towards Zero for it to be caught in midair by nothing.

"Infusing my darkness with Helios' will do nothing," Zero sighs. "Must I remind you, you simpleton, that I created the rules here."

"Oh, we know!" Kallen voices from behind to strike his blind spot for an invisible force to stop her.

Pointing a finger with a shining glimmer of black, she flickers as it fires where she once lied. Releasing the whip attack as it disintegrates, Kallen reappears next to him.

Placing Shade down, Relon takes hold of Pippin and Pappan.

"Then we'll just have to break those rules!" Kicking off with a burst of black flames, Relon blitzes forth for the distance to once again remain the same.

"Rules are not made to be broken. They are placed to restrict. Just as my rule allows not to get close no matter what."

"Why so scared?" Kallen scoffs.

"Do you believe I'd take such unnecessary risks when I'm so close? Ha, my past self was no fool and neither am I now."

"Logic, huh…?" Narrowing his eyes, Relon swings both swords towards Zero.

That's when it happened. An invisible force ceased Pappan in place.

Yet Pippin continued blitzing forward.

Both Relon and Kallen widened.

Flickering out of existence, Zero dodges the attack as Pippin veers around launching flaming crescents.

"Until the end you're the same…" Zero mumbles as the attacks are dispersed by nothing. "Stop such futile attempts this instant!" With a hand raised, Pippin is held in place before it's flung into Pappan as both nearly crash into Relon.

Ducking, he looks back to find Zero missing. Feeling an immeasurable force appear behind, Kallen pushes him out of the way from a series of sharp tendrils for small sharp blades to cut them as they tumble to the ground.

"Ack!"

"Give up and allow your life to be extinguished by myself already, Relon Tarbin Namikaze-Lucinance," Zero scolds with crossed arms. "Stop feeding such a delusion to her!"

"Y-You… liar." Relon manages out for Zero's eyes to focus on him. "You… made it so Pappan… couldn't hurt you but… not Pippin! When… you changed everything… you feared Pappan would turn! You were forced to make a rule on Pappan, someone you didn't trust!"

"Fine," Zero calmly breathes. "You're right. That's exactly why. Why would I, a victim of so much, trust in a weapon that fought alongside the brother that not only betrayed me, but tried to kill me? No, Pippin deserved to be away from what I would soon become. Not Pappan, it deserved to suffer."

"And… there you go!" He grits on his feet. "You're calling them by their names! Not Kernviter or Angbar! You're still Relon, deep down."

"Relon, you're still…?" Kallen mumbles, awed by his stubbornness.

"I told you, that name is dead to me! Now, perish." With a raised hand, all five are lifted into the air before Zero. Then he dropped it, sending them into the floor of darkness.

Relon's Struggle

Was it possible To defeat his own self?

Every time they've killed him, Zero has become stronger, more serious. They've defeated him four times now. Every time he's come back stronger than before.

Was that a rule he's made? How many more did he have left?

Relon's and Shade's own power-ups seemed to do it, and yet here Zero was. He accomplished his plan, they were in a world where he ruled. They've been separated from Earth, Shade was dying, Zero's omnipotence was near, Kallen is counting on him, and he was the only one capable!

That's when he felt it, the familiar touch belonging to Kallen. Through the veil of darkness, her form manifested as their hands held close.

"We have to beat him! Get up, Relon!" She urges.

He knew that. The need to preserve their future was within their grasp and he wouldn't go down without a fight! They've come too far to give up now.

"Relon!"

His hand gripped hers, silencing the girl. Bit by bit, the darkness swarmed around them.

"We're… not… done… yet…!"

All of the pain and suffering. The loss and emptiness. No matter how many times, they were reminded, their eyes looked forward to one thing.

To create a world built on happiness, void of evil!

"Let's go, Relon!"

"You with me, Kallen?"

"Until the end of time," she grins, regripping their hands.

"Let's go!"

"Spirit Unification: BEYOND HOPE!" Both roar.

Shooting high, body floating as Kallen stands underneath, their eyes open to land on Zero. Behind them lies Shade unconscious at the edge of the realm.

"I really am quite stubborn, aren't I?" Zero grins. "I always had to let women get me all riled up. Seems the same goes for you."

Full black eyes and white-pupiled slits lock onto Zero. Without warning, all three blurred from sight.

CLING!

Wisps of black sparks burst as both Relon and Zero clash in the middle.

"So we're doing this after all, are we?" Zero muses, pushing away as Relon's wings expand into tendrils towards Zero.

Readying Alter-Pappan, he instead swings backwards to narrowly miss Kallen who parries the attack with her knife to fire nothing from her gun. Momentarily stunned, she sends a kick Zero catches to throw her into Relon's attack.

Instinctively, the attack warps into coils catching Kallen to send her like a bullet back.

Reeling his blade back like a bat, Zero blurs forward to swing, missing the vanishing girl. Clicking in annoyance as she once again resets her position at Relon, carrying the momentum, he raises a hand to block for Pippin to emerge close to the ground.

With a kick, she pushes off into the air avoiding the clear barrier for Zero to follow. With Pappan high above, she kicks off dropping down unloading volleys of shots.

With a raised hand, he alters the forcefield to be above him.

That's when he sees it, the lurking presence directly in front of him. With a one-handed swing, he clashes with Marshadow.

"What?!" Blade embedded in the small creature gripping it, it reels back in an attempt to pull as Zero fends off the tug-of-war. "Meddlesome creature!"

"Solar Impact: Crescent Horizon!" Relon bellows from his blindspot.

Eyes watching the plus-signed attack emerge amongst the chaos, a plume of darkness erupts. From the smoke, Zero skids back gyrating Alter-Pappan as darkness coats its form.

"Solar…"

"Solar…"

"IMPACT!" Both swing, a larger eruption emerging as Kallen hunkers down as Marshadow shields her a gum-like shield.

"I'm impressed. Managing two Solar Impact variants in rapid succession for your skill level is impressive. Still, your Solar Impact lacked the power due to our environment. Whereas mine didn't. Hence why you're now in that pathetic state," Zero notes to the kneeling Relon panting.

"Tch!"

"Having a momentary burst of strength won't hide your earlier power show. The fatigue from such power will take its toll, no matter how compatible you and Helios are."

Dodging a barrage of bullets to sigh, unleashing a crescent attack, Kallen flickers to Relon before putting space between them.

"Relon, I won't delay the inevitable. For my future, I can't afford to delay it any further. Your efforts as commendable as they were shall now be put to rest in vain," he begins, closing his eyes. "Order: disable Kallen's powers!" Snapping his eyes, he gestures towards Kallen.

"W-What?!"

He barely saw it. Just as she had moved to act, her body gave out as her body returned to normal.

"W-Wha…?"

"Order: disable Prime Relon!"

Feeling his legs drop to the floor, unresponsive, a new horror sets in as he realizes the severity of their new situation.

"Pippin, Pappan!" Relon shouts, mentally pleading for both to rush to her aid. "No matter what, don't let Kallen be hindered!"

"Gotcha~." Then Zero vanished to both of their horror as he appeared behind Relon. "You always leave yourself open in order to protect those you cherish. This ends now."

Time seemed to slow as Relon desperately began to lean forward while pivoting to defend the incoming blade.

"NO!"

Relon Lucinance has only heard certain sounds a few times in his life.

The sound of piercing flesh was something he's heard on occasion. Against beasts, it never bothered him as it did against humans. Yet he always disliked the idea of seeing it visually.

His rage has always been a remedy for this small deficit matter. He never thought of it or felt the squeamish feeling pelt his heart due to, quite often, the heat of the moment.

Yet, in this moment, he could do nothing against the dreaded sight before him. He couldn't move, his body couldn't react. Only his eyes could look at the blade, once his own now distorted into a monstrous sight lay embedded in Kallen's stomach and out her back.

"How did…" Then his eyes caught it, the equally confused sight of Zero. "No... Impossible! Kallen, how did you…!"

Spitting blood into his flinching face, she headbutts the being who stumbles back. In doing so, the smooth shlik sound from Alter-Pappan exiting her body left a weight all too familiar in him.

"I… told… you…" She pants, body swaying to fall into the still form of Relon's arms. "I'd… do things… my own…"

"You… you…! KALLEN, YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE! I WAS- IT WASN'T…!" All around, the Dimensional Graveyard erupted. Tidal waves churned in the air as magna bursted all over. Winds of grand velocity cut away the quaking earth. "SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! NO, NO, NO! KALLEN, YOU WEREN'T…!" He frantically clutched his head as darkness lashed out strike anything and everything.

There he stood, arms cradling her as close as he could.

"I'm… sorry…"

He was fighting against the divine pact that silenced him, urging his mouth to move to speak his pleas to the girl. Yet, only his watery red eyes could look at her own tired pair.

"I… couldn't… see… you… get… hurt…"

He wanted her to stop talking. She needed to save his strength. What happened to her doing things her own way and dealing with the girls? What happened to him protecting and leading her to the future?

Again, he failed! Why couldn't he protect anyone?!

"Re…lon," she wheezes, the warping world going mute as his focus went to her. "You… can't hold… back. Zero… isn't Relon… You… have… to…" She coughed out blood, straining to talk. "Beat him… the only… the only… way you… can…"

His vision blurred, as his head did the smallest of shakes.

"You… have to… Shizuna… will be, ack, mad… You're… kind… and I… loved that… How human… your heart is…"

Her hand, bloodied, whipped at the trailing tears as weakly as she could.

Then it fell, vanishing into particles along with her body.

"Defying the cruelty of fate is an unimaginable dream none can manifest," Zero spoke softly. "No matter how much we wish for it." With a step away, Zero calmed himself. "I see now. You caused this." The venom in his tone spoke an unimaginable volume for the situation they were in. "Somehow, that comment was accepted in this world, canceling out my order. To think, my own omnipotence would create such a blunder. What's done is done…"

"Order…"

"Hm? What was that? Are you able to speak so soon?"

Immediately, Zero felt an invisible force shoot in like a ragdoll against the ruptured ground crashing into a ragged cliffside.

Eyes momentarily rolling, head spinning all too hard, one blink and he bursted out to hover in place at the sight.

His body twitched, writhing in emotions. His hair moved with a sensation of power as his bangs whipped against his cheeks. His hands, trembling in what was to come clenched into fists.

"Impossible! Or-"

"Order! Negate all attempts at stopping my orders!" Zero felt the imprisonment of his power at those words. "Order! Protect Shade from this world's poison!" Complying, a light overcame Shade's unmoving body as Marshadow stood its ground. "Order! Rejuvenate my strength!" Relon's wounds and hunched form ceased in an instant as flames bellowed to life. "And finally," his eyes bore on Zero's shocked visage. "Order! GIVE ME THE STRENGTH TO VANQUISH THIS EVIL!"

Steadily, the dense black aura that veiled Relon's form began to emanate a white outline. With a hand to the heavens, stars began to manifest.

"What is- don't tell me. That cat familiar's skill?! Order, cancel!" Despite his order, the action did not cease.

More and more, the white veil around Relon began to mix into a gray coloration.

Then it happened.

An abundance of unknown power unfamiliar to him stirred forth. The common gray-mixed color gained detail, its shading altering as memories not his own manifested before them.

"No…!" Zero widens in horror. "How can this happen?!"

"You said so yourself, Zero," Relon begins. "This reality is what a different dimensional being chooses it to be. Did you forget? We're the same! Elemental beings born in The Beyond and raised on Earth!"

"Don't you dare lecture me on what I am! Order! Grant me the power of both worlds!" In a flash, as if acknowledging his command, particle-like energy began to shoot for Zero. "I'll show you the difference between us!"

"Zero! Your attempts at absorbing the force of both worlds is futile whereas for me, IT'S THE MOST NATURAL THING EVER!" Relon roars, outstretching a hand as energy from both worlds redirects their power between Zero & Relon.

"You're just a knat! You should join me! Those insects you're attempting to protect will turn on you just as they have before! You must realize by now that you cannot hope to stop me with your limited and borrowed power!"

More and more, Zero's size began to enlarge until he towered over Relon. The once human had now become a behemoth-like beast. More creature than human, his hands became hulking claws with its thick nails protruding solid darkness. Horns like that of a demon curved outwards atop his head as his skin now black gained red markings similar to Relon's own transformation.

"Then so be it." Relon answers for Zero to cackle as both finish absorbing what power they can.

"You don't get it. It's futile! Your friend is done, a feeble creature unable to exist within this space between us! He, the closest thing to us perfect beings, is now done for. The world will betray you. Why fight it all? Why risk your life for those who will persecute you later? We have both experienced the same pain!"

"Tell me, Zero. Have you ever met someone like Shade?"

"What?"

"The very person clinging onto life behind me told me something. When I was likely at my lowest point, this person, this guy I can only thank Aidios and Luna for having me meet, told me to trust in those by me. When I questioned those closest, he slapped some sense into me. He may be more broken than me but he's hell of a better person than I am so don't you dare badmouth him! He'll live! And then we'll take you down! If the world chooses to become my enemy, I will fight like I always have! Not just for myself, but for everyone!"

All around, viewpoints of Alter-Erebonia become visible. Its inhabitants, the people met, friends made, enemies-turned-allies; all watch rooting. From one particular screen, Vita and Rinwell assist Munechika who has their hand raised.

From within, the light and darkness unify as a glimmering light explodes.

A shockwave so great erupts sending Zero soaring back a short distance in the air. Lowering his arms, he can only look on stupified. Though not at the sheen form Relon is donned in. His eyes stare in disbelief at the multiple Relons. One by one, they walked out of Relon's shimmering form to stand next to him.

"What…?" All different looking, they look to Relon as he silently inspects his new form. "Replicas?! No! Don't tell me that these copies are…!"

"Copies?" One Relon looks around. "Do any of us look exactly the same? We're different ages, wearing different attires."

"He probably is referring to the base meaning of what it means to be Relon Lucinance." Another notes. "You know, the weird upbringing, the rather 'odd luck' that women bring us, all that."

"I definitely feel that way whenever Ruby and Neo are around."

"Hu Tao and the other girls certainly don't make things any easier." The second shudders at the reminder.

"Least you have some control of your wives. Eina, Sparkle, & March I'm still trying to have somewhat control but… well, you know how our lives with women tend to go."

"Regardless, this Relon here is on the cusp of obtaining it. Much earlier than expected." A fourth Relon notes.

"What is this…? That form isn't utilizing the power of Luna and Aidios! What is this nonsense?!"

"Why, the thing that sets us Relons apart from all the others. Omnipotence," a fifth answers.

"Of course, it's not the full thing." A sixth mentions. "Though it is a major step towards it."

Having had enough, Zero unleashes numerous giant orbs for all the Relons to just look. Head snapping up, one Relon's body glows white for a fox tail manifests before his eyes shimmer as with one look, the attack disintegrates.

"WHAT?!"

"Hold on there, Relon. We'll deal with you in a second. Huh, isn't that what Lord First said to Madara? Wow, that felt weird to realize."

"Hey, least you don't have his hairstyle. Ei and the others kept messing with mine. Nahida and Qiqi especially!"

"That's why all Relons have short hair. Having longer hair is just asking for the girls to have another reason to be around us."

"ENOUGH OF YOUR CHATTER!" From Zero's palms, a cluster of orbs manifest into a rotating sphere. "I AM ZERO! THE BRINGER OF RUINATION! THE ONE WHO SHALL CRIPPLE ALL UNTIL NOTHING REMAINS! THE NAME RELON MEANS NOTHING!"

"Is that a dark Rasengan, Relon?"

"I don't think so, Relon. Hey, Relon, any clue?"

Firing, a beam shoots forward. Appearing in the sky, a Relon in a red and black gi-like attire deflects the attack with a slap into space.

"Definitely a Kamehameha," he says, descending back to his other selves. "Three out of ten. Vegeta and Black would probably rate it that or lower honestly."

"Hey, main Relon, you've grasped it by now haven't you?" All look to Relon who finally looks up. "What all this form can do?"

Gently hovering off the ground, Relon floats past them to gaze at Zero.

"Yeah," He breathes for all Relon to smile.

"He's definitely one of us."

"He is Aidios' Chosen." Relon quips.

"Ah, I see what you did there. Ei's Chosen, Aidios' Chosen. Haha, nice."

"Pfft. You two are hysterical."

"We're Relon Lucinance. We're a lot of things."

"We've also done a lot. Right now, however, we have to help deal with this one."

All nodding, they line up side-by-side behind Relon.

"Get ready, Relon Lucinance, this is a fight we can't afford to lose!"

"Yeah! The fate of the Relonverse is resting on this! Our strength is yours so let that idiot have it! You do know the name of this form, right?"

Inspecting himself, as though in a trance, he flexes his palms taking in the power coursing through him.

"... Neutralyx." He didn't know where that name came from but it was the answer. As if by instinct.

"Good," one nodded, smiling. "You're definitely on the right track."

"On the right track?" Zero mumbled, his bellowing voice eerily calm. "HE IS ON THE 'RIGHT TRACK?!' DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!" Zero roared, though not one Relon flinched at the overwhelming presence.

Eyes focusing on Zero, two rifts emerge for Pippin and Pappan to appear. Grasping them with a godly grip, he readies himself as all Relons vanish into his body.

Just like before, memories swarmed his mind, not one his. Trials, tribulations, defeats, victories; it all manifested in a single moment.

He understood it. All of it. Their strengths, what made them "Relon Lucinance."

"All the pain and suffering that you've caused, it ends now Zero!"

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO ACT ALL HIGH AND MIGHTY! YOU'RE THE INFERIOR VERSION! I'M SUPPOSED TO BE THE PRIME! NOT YOU!"

Floating off the ground, a light envelopes Pippin as darkness courses through Pappan. With a wind-up, he unleashed a dual-colored attack of black and white. With another shockwave of their powers clashing, the cloths of both swords' handles untie themselves free flowing away.

Momentarily looking to the cloth, he felt it.

The connection to his mother.

Determination at its height, Relon knew it was now or never.

He had to hold nothing back. The power of his universe, his multiverse; the Relonverse was within him and this evil before him plaguing not only this world but his own if he- if they didn't put a stop to it… here and now.

"Let's go, you two!" Flicking Pappan into a reverse grip, he looked at the groove underneath their handles. There was never a point before, except when Luna took over but now… "It's all…!" With a press and a click, their handles locked together. "Or nothing!" He proclaimed, swinging the shimmering dual blade of purity and malevolence.

Wordlessly, Relon blurred into action.

"YOU THINK COMBINING THEM WILL BE ENOUGH?!" With a swing of his elongated claws, the space before Relon ripped open.

Gripping their handle, he unleashes a X-shaped dual color attack. Connecting, the middle slash dematerializes as Relon continues through.

"INSOLENT INFERIORITY!" Zero bellows, unleashing a wave of ghastly demonic breath.

"Looks like I'm up!" From Relon's body, the apparition of his own self, yet different, shot out alongside a fox spirit.

"Relon?!"

"One rule we Relons have. Call us by our universe's name! Let's go, Karin!" Shimmering a light blue, the fox girl materialized into a blue fan. "Time to freeze this wave!" With a gust of icy wind, the nearing attack froze over. "Now!" With a snap, the fan shifted to a scythe. Rolling the handle off his hand and around his neck, he snaps the weapon as far back until his hand holds the bottom of the handle. "Celcius Calibre!" With a swing, a single slice split the wave in two veering for Zero as a plume of frost exploded. "Fairy Fencer F. At your service."

"What does the F stand for?" Relon didn't know why he asked that but something in him couldn't help but wonder aloud that specific question despite their circumstances.

"Oh that's easy, it stands for-"

"FINAL PURGE!" Zero roars, sending both back.

"Cutting people off is so not a Relon Lucinance trait, you know!"

At once, both blur in opposite directions as they raise their heads to the meteor storm raining down.

Cycling from scythe to bow, Fairy Fencer fires frost arrows in quick repetition as dual-colored crescents strike in tandem.

"So damn many! Shoot and move!" With a swing as he soars, Relon throws the dual blades as the luminescent combination mows down the raining attack. "That's a lot better!" He grins to boost forward under the raining debris alongside Relon. "Give me a boost!" With a nod, Relon's hands glow as he's shot upward.

Jumping from one object to another, he poises his hand back as the bow dematerializes into a glow of light. "Fairize!"

"YOU SHALL NOT ACT FURTHER, YOU WEAKLING!" Encroaching on the sphere of light, shades of blue broke through the cracks as a figure of light shot high into the sky before it zoomed around to pummel parts of Zero's body.

"The power of my sister and Ethel won't be swallowed by darkness anymore," Fairy Fencer spoke with crossed arms next to Relon. Around him, metallic armor hung through various parts of his body as the bow he used became more ethereal in power. "Relon, we're taking you down!"

"I TOLD YOU… I DISCARDED THAT NAME! IT MEANS NOTHING!"

"Liar!" Fairy Fencer retorts, both blurring in opposite directions to appear on both sides of Zero. "Celestial Absolution!"

"HA!"

From the front, an arrow of light coated in ice fired as a torrent of dual-colored flames assault Zero from the back.

"Let's see if that barrier of darkness can protect you from seeing the light, Relon!"

"USELESS, USELESS, USELESS! ALL YOU BOTH ARE DOING IS DELAYING THE INEVITABLE!"

"Lay it on him, Relon! He's weakening!"

"I know!"

More and more, the shimmering attacks refracted from the dark shield as Zero growled in defiance.

"ENOOOUUGGHH!"

Feeling a hard sensation strike his face, Relon ragdolls to right himself as he takes sight of Zero's behemoth fist nearing him.

"Watch out!" Fairy Fencer exclaims pushing him out of the way as Relon can only watch him raise his guard from the attack to smother him into a burst of particles.

"No!" Relon gasps to bear his anger on Zero. "You'll pay for that!"

'S-Sorry Relon, looks like that's all I could do. I didn't expect to be taken out in a single hit. He must have set an order we didn't realize.' Fairy Fencer grunts. 'But look! His size decreased a good amount. Our attacks are working!'

"THOSE ARE WORDS YOU SHOULD TELL YOURSELF FIRST!"

We just need to keep laying on the attacks. The more we do, the stronger the attacks, the more he'll be forced to exert all of that power he absorbed!

'If it's energy wasting that we need done, then I'm up.'

Leeching off of Relon, another form of himself in a casual attire similar to his own appears.

"Just call me Fate. My mana reserves are out of most worlds so this is right up my alley."

"IT MATTERS NOT HOW MANY FAKES COME, I SHALL MOW YOU ALL DOWN THE SAME!"

Lowering to touch the ground, Relon looks to Fate who chuckles as he walks forward.

"Is that so?" He muses, discarding his jacket as markings with three distinct marks of various sizes and designs litter his arm. "Tell me, Relon. Have you ever fought a servant before?" Feeling a surge of power, Relon raises a hand as Zero's hulking form is moved backwards slightly. "I'll take that as a no." One by one, the tatoos glimmer red as glyphs matching in color appear around them.

"ORDER! CUT ALL ABILITIES IN HALF!" Zero bellows, the number of circles vanishing as they had appeared.

"Oh? Fine then. I'll just pour more power into the few I can summon." Around them, several individuals appear. "Ushiwakamaru, Saber, Mordred, Scáthach, Medusa, let's go!"

Vanishing from reality, Zero roars as the landscape ruptures in accordance with his very will. Spires upheave the ground all around him as more power seeps inwards.

"KNATS!" Zero calls, eye lasers firing upon Ushi for an afterimage clone to take her place as she continues running up a spire. "EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU!" A humanoid Zero appears to lunge only as he's sliced in two.

Reaching the top as do her fellow servants, all prepare to launch for Zero to roar, hindering their movements.

"Shut up already!" Relon roars to unleashing another maw of grayish flames at the base of Zero who winces. "Now!"

Complying as he enters a portal from getting smacked by Zero's tail, he reappears to see Ushi split into various clones dodging a claw of Zero's to land rushing along his arm.

"PUNY WOMAN, YOU DARE TO RUN ALONG ME?!" Opening his maw, Relon blurs downward to punch it as does Fate.

"Don't you dare even think about hurting her!" Fate scowls for tendrils to shoot from Zero's neck around them.

Looking back, about to move, a single cleave of the dual blades comes to their rescue as it careens around for a second strike.

"With me!" Mordred grins, blurring past Zero's face to leave a flaming slice across his cheek as the dual blade strikes the other.

"Save some for us!" Ushi calls, vanishing to reappear at several spots across his face to back away. "Medusa!"

Appearing seemingly out of nowhere, the purple-haired servant draws her chains past Zero causing his neck to momentarily arch back as Mordred appears again with Fate.

"This time, we blind the fucker!" She grins maniacally, as with a blade of fire and light respectively, torrents of black liquid spurt out

"GAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Keep the pressure!" Fate orders jumping and falling to maneuver out of the way of tendrils. "Blade of Commandment!" Manifesting, a red blade with symbols matching that his arm appears as he's caught by Relon while Mordred lands on the combined blades. "Send me!"

Complying, Relon flings Fate directly at Zero.

"VENOM STRIKE!" Zero calls as numerous tendrils assault each servant before coordinating on Fate's approaching form.

"Relon!" The servants exclaim.

"Noble Phantasm: Gate of Skye."

Relon could only furrow as the memory made him recognize the situation. The impending doom that was held over Fate vanished, ceasing its motion all together as he broke through the blockage of tendrils. With a single strike, a horizontal light poured across Zero's abdomen as Fate leapt back rejoining the group.

"WHA- WHY CAN'T I…?!" At his question, his eyes bore sight on Scáthach twirling her red spear away as a single tiny cut could be felt as veins protruded upwards. "O-ORD- ACK!"

"My weapon needs only a single wound to inflict lethal damage," she explains. "For one such as yourself to be only hindered tells of not only your resistance but your luck."

"LUCK… HAS… NOTHING…" The hulking behemoth groans, unable to finish his sentence.

"Fool. I will show you what lies beyond the world," she begins in a chant. "I will lock you away in the darkness from the age of the Gods. Tremble, freeze and shatter into pieces!" With a single tap on the ground, a red pulse expanded bathing the Dimensional Graveyard in red.

From the cosmos manifested a portal unfamiliar to Relon as from it came a gate. He could hear cries yet felt the embodiment of such dense mana it seemingly rivaled that of the very beings around him.

Then the red vanished, replaced with an ominous grayish color while the portal creaked open. Then Relon gazed upon it. The void where death awaited.

Like a vacuum, the mana from Zero began to be sucked effortlessly as he tried to resist to no avail.

"How?" Relon wondered.

"My Blade of Commandments at first glance is nothing special," Fate comments inspecting it. "But against bodies of mana, it's practically a divider. A weapon that absorbs one's power thus enhancing its own. Scáthach's attack drains a flat amount of mana, obviously a very large amount. It's simple math really."

"You divided his mana reserves so her attack could deal lethal damage. Otherwise, had it been done in reverse it wouldn't have been effective!" Relon gasped for Fate to smirk.

"GOOOOOAAAAAHHHHH!"

Huffing, body twitching and writhing in agony, the once towering figure is reduced to the size of Grunoja.

"That size suits you," Fate taunts.

"You… HOW DARE YOOOOOUUUUU?!"

As the ground quaked, Relon could only notice the grin Fate wore. The look of confidence as the spires once manifested disintegrated into Zero as he retook his behemoth size.

"Gotcha," Fate grinned. "You're not good at keeping count, are you? Did you forget everyone I summoned?"

One look up and they all saw it.

"EX…CALIBER!"

The light.

When all had settled, the residual light particles bathed the floor. The very essence from that atomic attack had sent a pillar of light high into the air. Its power was so strong, the cracks in the planet melded only to divide even further.

'Looks like Saber's attack did the trick. To think he could still force us back at the last moment before impact. He's something.'

"It was plenty," Relon breathes as he looks at Zero back to his normal size.

"Relon…!" He growls to pump out more power. "You BASTAAAAARD!"

Suddenly behind him, both clash blades as the light and darkness disperse. With a throw, both swords clash in the middle.

"To think math would do you in!"

"SILENCE! You and our other inferior selves are all that stands in the way of my new world! I'm doing this for everyone!"

"The only world we want is a world without a tyrant like you! No one asked for all of this!"

"Let's end this! The torch passed to you belongs to me!"

"All Relons have torches instilled so we can stop that which dares to bring upon the ruination of our very worlds! You're a being we won't let continue on this path any longer!" Aura condensing leaving only an outline, he twirls his dual blade at the ready.

"Order!" Zero exclaims reaching for the cosmos. "Kill Relon Lucinance!"

"Order, nega-" Cut off by a painful sensation in his chest, he Relon stumbles only for a moment before looking around.

"What's going on?" Head lifting to Zero in genuine confusion, another Relon materializes.

"The original Relon knew this would happen."

"Dragonball…"

"What?!"

"Even we Relons are susceptible to the darkness. Especially when we veer off the path that allows us to be our prime variants. I've dealt with my own evil version. The chances are low but not zero."

"Impossible!"

"Relon knew creating the Relonverse would sprout possibilities even he could not fully maintain. That's why he created failsafes. One such failsafe being that should an evil Relon attempt to take the life of another Relon through divine means, it would prove impossible."

"Then that means…" Relon widens at the realization for Dragonball to nod.

"If Zero wishes to kill you, to end all of our lives, he has to use his own strength to first defeat you. Of course… we're not going to let that happen." At that, one Relon after another walks to swarm Relon.

"You made a grave mistake, Relon!"

"Stop that…!"

"You've hurt not only the lives of innocents, but your own delusions have ruined an entire world! You won't destroy anymore worlds, Relon! Not one!"

"Shut up!"

"Thinking you couldn't ruin this world was the biggest mistake you could make, Relon!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" He roars, the force behind his bellowing causes everyone to be pushed back.

"He still has this much power after everything?!"

"Bastard's persistent!"

"He's definitely a Relon at least!"

"THAT NAME IS DEAD TO ME! STOP CALLING ME THAT! EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AREN'T ME! THERE IS ONLY ONE SO DIVINE AS I!"

"Hey, Zamasu called!" Dragonball shouts. "Stop copying his deranged ego!"

"RELOOOOOON!"

"We need to end this, now! Relon!"

"HA!" Channeling his power, the shimmering gray-silver aura flared as all of the Relons merged into his core.

"Order!" Zero hollers. "DENY ALL FURTHER ORDERS!" At his command, the worlds ceased their radiant glow as did the stars. "Now, it's just us."

Readying himself, both of their powers surge to the brim. With a maniacal grin, Zero reels Alter-Pappan out as darkness converges in a spiral. Doing the same, black and white energies flow in synergy as at once both throw for their blades to lock in the middle.

"You saw everything and yet you still decide to go against the future I've set in place."

"A future where Musse, Laura, Claire, Shizuna, Kallen, Class VII, my family, anyone and everyone is gone is a future I don't want any part of!"

"We have to suffer for the greater good!"

"You killed Luna!"

"She caused everything! Had she been an omnipotent Goddess like she claimed, then none of this would have happened!"

"Blaming her for your own downfall?! How low can you go?!"

"I've sunken past the depths of Gehenna! I'll sink as low as I must!" Calling back both blades, they blur towards one another meeting in the middle. Black, white, and gray funnel out and around the two as they battle for dominance. "You, my greatest obstacle! Why can't you see it!"

"Because it's a cruel and miserable vision!" Relon shouts, parrying Alter-Pappan to slash Zero's abdomen with a diagonal strike before following up with a jump kick away. "For both everyone, but even more you!"

For a single moment, Zero's face scrunched before his glare returned as he pointed his blade. "What do you know?! You haven't-"

"I haven't experienced it?" He powers down. "I don't have to experience pain to know it's painful. Kanade being abducted after just reuniting, finding out Mom and Alister have been working with Senate, finding the orphanage on fire, Noro passing away; that hurt! I felt my body churn! It writhed in agony, Relon! I felt what you felt! I could understand why you did all that you did! I would have!"

"Then why?!"

"Because it's not what Noro would have wanted!"

"... Huh?"

"Just once, did you ever stop to think how Noro would feel?" He asked, watching Zero begin to twitch irritably. "What your beloved little sister would think if she saw how you turned out now?" He stepped forward for Zero to shake his head, stepping back.

"S-Stop it!"

"Noro loved you! Stop this, Relon! Please!"

"I said stop it! I have to do this!"

"For who?! You?! You'll be alone! In an empty world where you can't do anything that made you happy! A future like that is too sad for a Relon!"

"I said stop!" Zero shouts, punching a plume of darkness for Relon to absorb it marching forward.

"You fight, act all crazy, and believe yourself to be a genius that's seen it all! But you're not! You're just like me, all of us; scared! Scared of what is to come, fearful of the unknown!"

"I'm not!" Zero denounces.

"Take off that mask, Relon! Tell me that yourself! As the real you! The you that appeared in my mind when I lost Laura!"

Then he saw it.

The darkness around Zero flickered. The black layer that hovered atop his skin, seemingly punctured by his own words, revealed his true self.

"I… I… I don't know what you're talking about!" He retorts, raising a hand to put a wall of darkness between them

"Drop the act!" Relon cries, shattering the shield effortlessly. "We both know that wasn't some figment my mind made. That was you! You helped me get over Laura! There's still good in you!"

"No! I did that to ensure my own future remained on the right path!"

"To ensure yours? Or mine?"

"What are you-"

"Take my hand. We can stop all of this. We have the power to create anything here. Another world, a new Beyond, even fix the mistakes made. You've suffered long enough. Violence isn't the answer. We can be better. Come on. Who are you? Truly."

"I… I… I'm… I'm tired. Of all of it." Carefully, his hand began to raise as the darkness retracted.

"It's over. Let's end this."

"Yes. Let us end this," a corrupt and heavy voice spoke.

Heads raising to face the other seeing mirrored confusion, Zero winces as the darkness shoots across his body sending Relon tumbling back.

"Relon!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" In a sphere of black, its negative energy shot outwards. After a moment, Relon bore witness once again to a neutral-looking Zero. Then the maniacal grin, disturbing down to his core came. "Hehehehehe… HAHAHAHAHA! To think I would have to take over… He truly has gotten weaker!"

'Relon, power up! Now!'

"Tch! Who are you?!"

"Why… a bygone enemy. One you believed to have been rid of upon our union."

"Ishmelga!"

"No… I'm not that entity. I am… the true Zero! A being birthed from the malevolence and negative power the once Prime Relon Lucinance you've faced thus far sported. I believed he would not succumb to such feeble and privy words from his own self, but it seems all Relons have one glaring weakness; themselves. He is weak, just like all the rest."

"You're wrong." More and more, the power of Neutralyx hummed around Relon. "He's strong. He endured all the pain alone, just to fight for a future he genuinely believed to be right no matter how wrong his methods were. That's why he's resisting you, even now." At that, Zero narrows. "You can't hide it. You can't believe yourself capable of beating us. You're done!"

Then he was on him. Hands blurred in rapid succession between the two yet the blows only landed on Zero.

There was one sole objective. Defeat Zero.

He had the power of countless Relons. It was time to put an end to this nightmare once and for all.

'Blazblue! RWBY!'

'I'm with you!'

'Go!'

"Enchant Dragunov 2! Release!" Manifesting untapped power seemingly restricted, Relon vanished. Only a blur of red, white and gray could be seen as the turbulence from an ethereal reeling fist and tail respectively poured into the abdomen of Zero. Crashing upon the planet's surface,

BOOOOOM!

"GAAAAAK!"

He didn't stop. Even amongst the sudden aftermath of yet another nuclear attack, he kept up the aggression. Zero was a being that could withstand the likes of Fairy Fencer and Fate's own attacks. He needed to unleash a rapid succession of strong attacks to seal the deal.

'Naruto! We're going all in!'

'Ready when you are!'

"Shadow Clone Justu!" Amongst the debris, clouds of smoke manifested. "Summoning Justu! Reanimation!" With a clap of his hands, the divine versions of himself hunched over as their appearances altered.

One by one, the spirits of Relon traveled outward taking a body.

"BLADES OF JUDGMENT!" Zero's voice roared as through the smoke came countless red javelins.

"Trap card activate!" Yugioh shouted, clicking their duel disk. "Mirror Force!"

All around them manifested a giant rainbow-colored dome. Bit by bit, their vision became red until it all converged into a single point before firing off back at Zero resulting in an explosion.

"GO!"

"Domitianus, Nerokius, Heraklinos!" Yugioh calls, summoning three Gladiator Beasts.

Around the smoke, a giant humanoid bat throws a punch while a bipedal chimeral and sea serpent brings down a flaming and watery ace respectively.

"HAAAA!" Zero shouts, unleashing a spherefield knocking away the debris as well as the three large creatures.

"Was that Almighty Push?"

"No, but dark close!"

In a flicker, Relon and Pokémon appear as Zero's arms are still out to the sides.

"Oblivion Wing!" Pokémon shouts, punching a fist at the air for a red and black beam to shoot for Zero's right as a combination of black and white flames strike from his left.

Vanishing as the attack clash, all look up to see Zero soaring into space.

"He's fleeing to the Beyond!"

"We'll stop him!" Digimon shouts, running forward withdrawing his digivice. "Apollomon, Lunamon! Our turn!" Raising the red and black device, it shimmers in a bright light as two creatures representing the sun and moon manifest before shooting into space past Relon.

Catching the light pass by, Zero stops to slowly peer up at the hulking behemoth bore him. Its size was incomprehensible. Earth, the Beyond, all of the cosmos paled n comparison to the creature before him.

"Gracenovamon!" It roared.

"How-" Zero widened to feel a fist crash into his face belonging to Dragonball.

"Don't think you're the only ones that can survive in space!"

"Zero!" Relon growls striking with an inflamed fist,

"Don't let him even breathe!" Star Rail urges, shimmering in bloody gold power. "Not even a second!"

From his hand, chains pierce Zero's body before wrapping around his core as he's swung around.

"Distortions create possibilities and those then make the future…"

"Say less!" Genshin agrees, hand crackling in electricity as he blitzes forward. "Raikiri!" Extending forward, once more a black barrier halts the momentum as tendrils shoot out for Genshin.

"By cleaving one, others ripple anew…"

"I'll bower this!" Zenless Wuwa calls, vaulting over Genshin to coat his body in purple lightning. "Discharge!" He shouts, fending off the tendrils to punch alongside Genshin at the shield as it cracks.

"Let the blots of clack cover the endless void…"

"Don't forget about us! Destruction!" Star Rails shouts as he, Dragonball, and Relon all too strike the dome from multiple directions.

"Where life reaches its wall, allow that to crumble onto all…"

Backing away, electricity coursing through Genshin's body, his mouth moves at an accelerated rate for a hand sign to come up as Zero's eerie grin snaps to them all.

"DOMAIN EXPANSION: SILENT APOCALYPSE!"

"DOMAIN EXPANSION! ILLUSORY HEART!"

The vacuum of space itself expanded white as all living this ceased movement. On Earth, in space, atop the Dimensional Graveyard.

"You cancelled out my cursed technique? No… You're not Jujustu…!"

"No. I'm not." Genshin simply says, blurring and striking him with an electric punch faster than he can keep up. "Stopping time won't work with us here! Zenless Wuwa, Star Rail!"

"Right!"

"Let's go!"

"Tch! You're one of them, aren't you? You're another chosen Relon!"

Not answering, Genshin's electricity fizzles out as ice takes its place. Clasping his hands together to separate, a single crystal sphere forms. Gyrating, more and more of its body becomes transparent.

"Stay behind that shield all you want, you're not gonna like this!" Star Rail grins, placing a hand as the crystal sphere becomes coated in an outer layer of destruction energy.

"Can you handle this?!" Zenless Wuwa calls out, copying the other gachas' gestures as electricity crackles inside the globe.

"Destruction, Cryo, and Electro," Genshin notes calmly. "Surely you noticed it. I used my domain expansion a second after you did. While the cosmos is under your power, we inside the Shrine of Maya aren't. It's simple math."

"Then…!" Zero widens as his body locks in from the power Relon and Dragonball continue to exude.

"Your power can't affect us," Genshin simply states. "But just to make sure…" Eyes glowing, a familiar sheen manifests across his being as his robes become a more common red and black themed attire.

"Impossible! You as well?!"

"You said so yourself. I am one of the original's chosen. But all you need to know is that I'm Ei's Chosen! Genshin Impact: Spiral Sphere!" He roars, the power of the seven elements channeling inside as it collides with the dome of darkness.

Light converging into a single point, it expands as the green shrine fades as color returns to the universe.

Catching and righting himself, he sees the others doing the same as Genshin reverts to his normal robbed attire panting as his body becomes transparent.

"D-Damn it, using so much in a universe not my own without my actual body took more of a toll than I thought…"

"Zenless Wuwa, Star Rail!" Dragonball exclaims as Relon notices they too in similar conditions to Genshin.

"How much did that attack…"

"Not enough…" Genshin pants to look at the drifting Zero. "But almost. Relon, you… have to be the one… to end this! No matter how much we do, you have to deliver the final blow…"

"Why are you two vanishing?"

"Hehe, I put… all of the power I could… to help stabilize that attack. Not… the first time we've done this."

"Y-Yeah," Zenless Wuwa gasps. "Least this attempt worked a lot better than the first."

"Relon," Genshin calls as their eyes meet. "Save Relon. We believe in you."

"You can do it!"

"Don't give up. You haven't yet so don't start now."

With those words and the supportive nods of the three, they were gone."

"Yeah!"

"Eclipse Finger!" Gracenovamon's divine voice bellows.

Snapping to where Zero was last seen, both Relons catch sight of the galaxy digimon raising its cosmic hand for a black hole to be born before its crushed revealing an unfathomable power similar to Relon's own.

Nearing Zero, it was as though he was doing everything in his power to move.

"R-Rechid… CREATURES!" Zero manages out, tendrils shooting from his back to obstruct the attack to no avail as all is melted by the sheer proximity.

"NOW!" Dragonball exclaims. "Ka-me-ha-me…"

"Solar Impact…"

Touching Zero, a wave surges across the sea of stars as Zero breaks past both Relons towards the Dimensional Graveyard.

"HAAAAA!"

"Double Crescent Horizon!"

Flicking the edges of his dual blade, a grayish-silver eight-tipped flame hurtles close behind for a pure blue beam to strike its center as the combined attack touch Zero.

Resisting, body falling apart, Zero struggles to lift a hand as the Dimensional Graveyard's essence shoots for him.

"He's absorbing this place's energy to recover!" Digimon exclaims for a demon-looking Relon to shoot off.

"Time for a change in scenery! Demon Art: Infinity Castle!" With a clap, everything vanished. Space, the planets, everything.

Down Relon and his countless selves found themselves descending an endless dimensional castle-like interior with no end to the bottom.

"Relon!" Dragonball shouted. "It's now or never!"

Pushing off Dragonball's feet, his dual blade veers into his grasp as he falls in line with his fellow Relons. One wordless look around at the resounding nods said all that needed to be.

At once, they snapped to Zero.

"Let's end this, Zero!"

"WITH PLEASURE, RELON LUCINANCE!"

Snapping Pippin and Pappan off, he slices portals for everyone to vanish.

Head whirling to the left, a single ball is caught for a coated blood knife melded around a hand to strike from Zero's other side only to be caught.

"So you're the perpetrator behind this!"

"Gonna cry?" Effortlessly, Demon Slayer's arm is destroyed only for another to regrow as the ball Zero holds begin to circulate at a high velocity ripping apart his hand.

"Tch! All of you irksome-"

"Yeah yeah, sounds like a skill issue to me!" Demon Slayer dodges a backfist that destroys a portion of the castle. Narrowing, he flips sending Zero further down. "Naruto!" He calls, diving after Zero once more as from a portal comes Naruto. "Let's hit him good!"

"You got that that Isobu?!"

'Heard!'

"Let's show Zero the power of a Jinchūriki and the Ketsuryūgan!" Bubbles foaming all around until a coat of red overlaid atop his appearance as three tails emerged, Naruto reals back a hand fro the bubbly surface to extend down to catch Zero. "And let's add Sage Mode while we're at it!"

Wincing from the corrosive touch, Zero's focuses power for the hand to burst. Past the fleeting bubbles, a giant spinning temari is revealed.

"Such spherical toys aren't enough fun for a God!" Zero roars, reeling his hand back as darkness manifests copying the attack.

"They're called… Temaris!" Demon Slayer corrects from further below.

"What?!"

At ledges far below, countless Relons prepare various attacks with Demon Slayer holding a golden scythe.

"How many of you Relons use scythes?!"

"Heh, wouldn't you like to know," Demon Slayer grins. "Alright, boys, let him have it!" At once, the upwardment bombard commenced.

"Sage Art: Massive Temari!" Naruto yells as Zero can only raises another wall to repel the spiralling attack.

"Pinning me like this…! WON'T WORK! Perish!"

"Oh, we know," is all Demon Slayer says, vanishing into particles along with the rest as the attack misses.

Confused, his senses snap to a corridor far down for a shimmer to be seen.

"Bastard!"

Shlk!

Under a millisecond, Zero couldn't even blink as the raised hand was sliced as was half his body. Displaced, he could only continue to look in confusion as he succumbed to the force of the attack. Eyes trailing from one ledge to another, his eyes finally understood the perpetrator belonging to DXD. Said individual looking twirling their wired dagger.

"HAAAAAA!" Past Naruto, the funnel of darkness emerged into a silhouette. "Huh?" He gasped, turning around only to catch the upper half of the entity clash sword-like hands with DXD.

"Don't stop! You're still damaging his lower half!" DXD shouts.

"Just… go… down already!" Naruto growls.

"Tch! Even with the power of a King Piece, you're still this troublesome?!" DXD growls.

"Speed is all you have whereas I have everything else!"

"Then it's a good thing we cover for each other's weakness!" Heads lifting up, only a punch by Pokémon connects out of nowhere! "Another good thing we Relons have going for us; the element of surprise!"

"You of all Relons know what it's like to perish, yet you still defy me!"

"It's because I know that I refuse to see the Relon in you go down the same path!"

"You shall die-" Cut off as he becomes stone, the three can only look as Zero shatters against a ledge higher up.

"You first."

"Guys…!" Naruto growls. "He's… fighting back…!"

Descending further to help suppress the repelling force, more and more the three even combined find it hard to fight against.

"This guy is seriously…!"

"Stupid!" Naruto complains as he uses his tails to assist.

"Demonic amplification, chakra infusion, and oblivion power still isn't enough?!" Pokémon grimaces. "Just… a little more! We're almost there!"

"GRRRRRRRRR!"

"He's… stopping… the rotation…!"

"Pour all you two have!"

"Already… full sending…!"

"CHAOS BLAST!"

Holes erupting all across the sphere, all three can only widen to vanish in particles before it explodes crumbling the entire structure.

"Ha…Ha…Ha…" Not at all caring of the entire castle crumbling around him, Zero breathes a heavy breath to look up embracing the sudden calmness he finds himself in. Yet the moment was but a fleeting causality.

"If one nuke wasn't enough, then how about another!" RWBY roars, encapsulating himself in white as he implodes in a silvery blast.

"GAH!" Zero reels downwards in a ragdoll-like fashion. Eyes peering open, he widens at the white light enveloping his vision.

"SPIRIT BOMB!"

One snap of his eyes open and the entire top half of the tower he fell through seemingly vanished. Whether by Relon's own actions or his own, he didn't know.

"Persistent maggots, stalling like always. It never changes!" Bigger and bigger, Zero shot up to a behemoth. "YOUR ATTEMPTS TO CONQUER SHALL NOT GO UNPUNISHED, DO YOU HEAR ME RELON LUCINANCE! YOUR LIMIT IS NIGH AS IS YOUR END!"

"Hehe… Oh, you're the one who's going to be punished, Zero." Dragonball chuckles, veins protruding as a golden aura begins to manifest. "You see… We saiyans don't have limits. Time and time, we shatter the chains that bind us to who we once were. Everyday, we strive for new heights. Yet, that doesn't stretch to just my universe. Every Relon, across the Relonverse betters themselves for the sole purpose to ensure a better life with their loved ones!" Hair manifesting yellow, red, blue, and then white, his focus goes entirely on the Spirit Bomb. "HaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Suddenly, a newfound surge of pressure toppled Zero's monstrous form.

"WHY CAN'T I…?!" Then it clicked. "THOSE PARTICLES OF YOUR WEAKER SELVES…! THEY SENT THEIR ENERGY TO YOU, DIDN'T THEY?! BUT THAT'S… NOT ALL! YOU INFUSED MALEVOLENCE INTO THE SPIRIT BOMB TO ABSORB MY POWER! WHERE?! WHERE ARE YOU RELON?! ANSWER ME, RELON TARBIN NAMIKAZE-LUCINAAAAAAAANCE!"

"Hehe," Dragonball chuckles, glancing up to the male holding one sword with the other protectively in front. "Looks like he's calling for you. Bring it home, Relon."

The existence of life is an ephemeral gift bestowed upon all.

Those that wish to preserve it and nature it to the next stage are deemed good.

Others who wish to halt the growth of possibility and ravage that which is unknown for their own purposes are bad.

Simple as that.

From above, the cusp, the embodiment of what it meant to be Relon Lucinance stirred deep within his core. The good, the bad, the purity, the linger darkness that gave way to his imperfections, the proof needed to tell any and all that he too was human.

Countless times practiced, he grasped his faithful partner. From that fateful day in the snowy mountaintop, traveled wayward to the foggy lukewarm waters of the castletown, rising upwards along the turbulent remedy of the capital, across the distance terrains of the shrouded foliage of bonds that have transcended time, and finally to the lucky number he found himself associated with.

Then it came.

"Nghr!" Dragonball growls to catch a blurring figure descend. Gasping, he grins reverting to normal before he begins to vanish. "Give him hell for us,"

Only a single nod came as the Spirit Bomb exploded into countless particles before surging towards Relon.

"GAAAHH! WHAT?!"

"DIVINIUS IMPAAAAAAAACT!"

From the burning flames of hatred, to the purple flames of agony, the unison of both transcended to a clarity more sublime than that of a blank slate itself. Yet, the shades that encroach were not evil. It was a pained good once lost on the path of life.

"RELON LUCINAAAAAANCE!"

Down the elongated form of Pippin's radiant tip went as the light began to clip open the veil of darkness. Flames once believed to have been sealed opened like a geyser. More and more, flames of various colors raged out as the world around them went white.

"GET… OUT… OF… HIS… BODY!"

When his eyes opened next, he found the bright blue sky to be his greeter. Twitching a finger, unbearably weakly, his eyes winced from the genuine brightness the sun held. In flinching his head, he felt grains of what could only be sand cascade down his skin.

"You're awake." One look up, as much of a struggle as it was, and there stood countless Relons of varying ages in attires not at all the same. At the center, the smiling prime version of himself. "Welcome to the world of the living, Relon Tarbin Namikaze-Lucinance."

"You… did it…"

"Did you doubt us?" Relon arches a brow, something that for an odd reason. or perhaps… not so odd, made him manage a wry chuckle.

"No… Deep down, I think… a part of me wanted you to win. To be… right."

Closing his eyes, taking in the life all around him, another look at the sky revealed the dimensional tear in the fabric of space and time.

"You stay here, Relon. Look back on all you've done… and atone." One by one, the visages of Relon vanished inside his prime self.

"How?"

Not answering the pattering footsteps atop the sand inched closer. One friendly smile at him was all the previous Zero-Relon got as Relon's shimmering form hovered before vanishing into the rift.

Atop the dune, panting, stood Laura Arseid.

"Laura… Hey."

Touching down in the Dimensional Graveyard, Relon looks up to the lingering black fog begin to take a humanoid shape.

"After all that, you had another life. Or do you have even more?" He wonders, taking a hold of Pippin and Pappan. "No, it doesn't matter. I defeated you. Meaning orders are back." Sucking in a breath, he drops to a knee as the shimmering glow wanes. "S-Shit, I used… too much of that power. Order, regain-" Diving out of the way using what enhanced cognitive abilities, he skids to see the darkness imbued lance retract as the entity's hand reforms. "Fine… then! Helios!" He roars, black flames erupting in all directions as his wings manifest. "Order! Protect me in ten seconds… until I choose to come back… and when I do, make me rejuvenated!" He begins, flying out of the way to pivot punching the creature to faze through it. "Order! Tell Shade about the rules here!" He grasps both blades parting a beam of darkness. "And… And… Wake him the hell up already!" At that moment, as attacks encroached from all around, a giant plume of darkness veiled Relon as the structure hardens. Falling on his knees, he could only chuckle before feeling himself hover into a slumbering status.

Shade's Struggle

It was dark all around me, I knew I was unconscious and on the verge of waking up but I had little idea of where I was. Then I had flashes of scenes go into my mind, showing me everything that has happened since we entered this place. 'I was keeping track with my senses, so that's what happened and where we are… Kallen's dead and Relon had a lot of other hims here, more assholes is great… Now he's fighting his own battle in whatever he's in, I need to wake up and fight this half!'

My eyes opened under the mask, despite Relon making it where I can at least live in this realm and won't get harmed by it, I was still weak from when I let loose earlier. 'I hope everyone's fine, I hope I didn't hurt them, but with how Relon and Zero acted I don't think I did, that's good!'

"You're up right, I can feel your slight movements… Honestly I'd rather have the other version of you then Relon at this point, but alas Alex hasn't reached that point of power yet…" Letting out a grunt I slowly got to my knees, looking over at Zero that seemed more covered in darkness at this point.

"Seems like you…lost something there!" I tried to stand up, but I couldn't.

"Quite funny, to joke as soon as you wake up is quite a feat I must say~" I could see him smile as he turned to fully face me. "But I can tell you haven't recovered from your power up earlier, you no doubt feel like shit am I right~?" He took a single step towards me.

"Yes and no, I will admit I feel like crap, but I won't let that stop me from beating your ass!" Once again I tried to stand up but couldn't. 'Damn it, Relon gave me that power to use this place, but even that hasn't helped me regain my strength, best I could do is summon shit to throw at him!'

"What is blocking me from seeing inside you? Even here I can't see inside that head, that connection to Alex was small yet it felt like it only allowed me to see certain memories… Still I think I know what to do, Relon is having his battle with himself, but if I take you over, a being that can't die, I could kill both of them with ease and have a much better time~!" He slowly starts walking towards me.

"I don't swing that way, so no thank you!" I couldn't even move my arm to my handgun, I couldn't stand as my muscles stopped me, looking back at Zero as he ever so slowly got closer I tried to think. 'Summon, summon… Damn it, what could be tough enough to kill him or at least slow him down until I'm ready to fight or Relon gets back into the fight!?'

My eyes widened as the idea hit me, letting out a shaky breath I looked back at Zero, the very concept of this idea was so fucked, it sent chills through my spine where this thing before me didn't even do that. 'Now or never…aside from her I really wish I never had to see them or hear them again, but to kill or even block this monster…'

"Hmm, got something to say?" He stood a good bit away from me now, looking down at the ground I made sure I was ready for what's to come before looking back at Zero.

"You all used the word Order so much I'm kinda sick of it, does the word matter so much and not the intent?" He tilted his head at me, confused on where I was going with this. "Heh, what I'm saying is… Bring in Death!" His eyes widened as the surge of power flowed around me, he raised his arm and shot off a black and red beam but the person in front of me now blocked it with ease, causing a large cloud of smoke.

"Ha, ha, ha… Quite unexpected to be here, you really must be desperate to have all of us here to fight this thing, having us 'monsters' fighting one you can't take on~" The one right in front of me mocked, his hand lowering slowly before going into his pocket.

I could sense them, all fifteen of them. "Do as I want!" I hissed out, glaring at his back. Those words made each one, aside from one, have a mental leash I could pull on to stop them if need be.

"Tsk, tsk. We aren't dogs are we? Besides you gave us the feeling of wanting this thing dead, so we'll kill him, but don't expect us to do everything for you~" The cloud slowly faded, letting me see the others.

The man in the white buttoned up lab coat, his arms were in the coat almost like a straight jacket, on his head was a helmet which I know was his main way of controlling his toys. "Hmm, so this is the Beyond? I've only ever seen what comes from it and what I've cut open from here, still collecting data won't matter since I'm not real… But that won't stop me from dissecting this so-called god!" From his back came robotic arms, as well as drones which could do just about everything. Ajax, the 13th Dominion Knight.

A dark buffed man, wearing the most basic coat of the Dominion, he pulled out a pair of sunglasses and put them on, taking out a cigarette and lit it. Letting out a sigh he smiled and reached behind him, pulling out twin nordic spears. "So that's who we fightin'? I feel for the thing, to face the might of the Dominion in full force! Haha!" His deep booming voice seemed to echo around, twirling the spears wind gusts emerge around him. Riddick, the 12th Dominion.

A figured cloaked in dark clothing from head to toe, almost like what an assassin would wear, it was easy to tell she was female from her slim frame, yet she didn't speak, just stared at Zero in a relaxed way. Then she moved her hand up and around it, small balls of the elements were summoned. Quincy, the 11th Dominion.

The man lifted his wide-brimmed black hat that had a large plume, his twin tailed coat swayed behind him as he shifted his body. Cocking a grin he looked up at Zero, pulling out his rapier and one of the few large, almost ancient looking handguns from his vest on his chest. "I say, this place looks fun! Maybe we should get space travel done so we can do ship battles out here yah!?" His accent was tough to understand, yet it seemed he didn't care. Ezekiel, the 10th Dominion.

Next was a face I despised, so calm on the outside yet evil on the inside. His arms and chest were exposed as well as his head which was bald, yet his skin wasn't normal. It was gray, like ash and devoid of any marks on it. He wore standard pants and wrist wraps. "Bringing others into your fights, now that's a sorry sight to see, Shade… However this thing, it looks awful and should be put down like bad children~" His face which was emotionless changed into a twisted grin as he extended his fists. Barren, the 9th Dominion.

Crest was next, he looked the same as when I had first killed him, he looked bored as he pulled out his own sword. "That Relon guy has the swords, still this guy made me his bitch, so I want some payback~!" He pointed it at Zero. "I won't die so easily this time~! HAHA!" Crest, the 8th Dominion.

Next was someone I was actually happy to see, the only one I could say I wish I had seen before I left that time. "Yo, yo! Shade, been awhile! Oh, check it! Met up with Shade, it's been too long! Talkin' 'bout Ikaruga, when we proved 'em wrong! Old friend, same vibe, ready for the clash! Shadows in the night, 'bout to make a splash~!" I smiled at her rap, she looked the same as before as well. V, the 7th Dominion.

Sparks of flame went off in front of her to stop her from rapping more, beside her stood a man in a full body suit, underneath it was his burnt body, whatever was left of it. "Any more out of you and I'll burn that tongue to ashes!" His voice spoke yet it was modified because of the suit. Sol, the 6th Dominion.

The next one I didn't even look at, as it was Miranda, wearing the same thing as when I put that grenade in her. "My, my~ I hope this time I don't hit my climax first, I want to see this 'god' and you explode first Shade~!" Some of the others glanced over at that comment. She pulled out her whip sword and held it with both hands. Miranda, the 5th Dominion.

A bored looking man stood there as he wore a more casual suit compared to anything else the others wore. A lazy expression was on his face as he looked at Zero. "I'm not sure what the hell is going on, but guess I'm here so, might as well." He summoned his lance and held it at his side. Lance, the 4th Dominion.

The buff looking man with metal arms yelled out, his upper body was exposed and he wore puffy pants. He had a beard and his hair was tied back into a bun. Out from his arms were bombs of some kind. "We all share a mutual disgust for this thing right? So let's all work together to kill it, I'll try to see if he goes boom!" Glade, the 3rd Dominion.

Osiris had his battle axe in front of him, his hands on the bottom of the handle as he looked over the battlefield ahead of him. His heavy armor shined from the lights of this place. "Honor is long gone in this world, yet that is the battlefield which I thrust myself into!" Osiris, the 2nd Dominion.

A tall prideful looking man turned his back on Zero to look down at me, he stood just ahead to my right. He wore a white coat with the Dominion symbol on the back with a black open shirt with a ruffled neck underneath, his pants were fully black with white highlights with black boots. His hair was long and mostly black with some white mixed into it, he smiled as he looked at me. "Turning to us in your time of need is pitiful, yet I can't be bothered to feel anything for you or even a reason to fight that 'god', however I do have my own reasons~" He turned back around to look at Zero as he held the sheath with his katana in it. Ken no Hokori, the 1st Dominion.

Next to Osiris was a girl with long straight blue hair, she had on a black bodysuit going from the neck down with gold armor plates on the chest, legs, arms and other vital areas. Her eyes seemed dull yet focused,as she placed the golden armor face mask that only went over her eyes and nose as well as pulled out a golden long blade. Laura, The Cardinal of Darkness.

Before them all stood their leader, a man with long dark hair that was tied in a ponytail that went down to his lower back, he wore a fancy clean looking suit with his hands in both pockets, on his back all of his stigmas lit up as he smiled. "This will be a show to remember, I thank you for entertaining me Shade, Zero~" Drugone, leader of the Dominion.

"What is this!? You are so desperate you summoned the worst people from your world!" Zero glared at them, yet he then smiled. "Heh, let's see if they all talk!"

"Hmm, having everyone gang up on him would be quick and easy, but I want a show." Drugone pulled his hand out of his pocket and summoned a throne made out of darkness and light and sat in it. "Shade you may have summoned us, put leashes on us, but everyone still listens to me~ So hear me my Dominion, my Cardinal, I'll tell you who will fight first! V, Hokori, you are exempt of this rule~"

V looked over at Drugone, with a nod she stepped back and knelt down next to me "I'll stick with you Shade!" She smiled and winked at me.

"Thanks, at least there's someone here I can stand…" I barely let out, my mind was too focused on making sure the others didn't try anything. 'I can feel each one pulling on those mental leashes, my head is pounding!'

"Barren, Ajax, go ahead~" Drugone said, getting relaxed in his throne.

"Understood." Ajax stepped forward as his drones shot out ahead.

"My pleasure~!" Barren slowly walked ahead, a peaceful expression on his face.

"Only two at a time? Where's the fun in that, one of them can't even use their arms! Huh?" The drones circle Zero, forming a square around him, between each one a barrier is made. "Like that can stop me!" Zero raised his arm to blast the barrier away, but it took the hit and remained up. "What?"

"I have encountered beings from the Beyond before, making shields to stop them is a simple task and it helps that you are mixed with a threat that is long dead in our world. Now let me see what's inside you, what your blood is made of, what your bones and sperm are like!" All at once the drones scanned Zero. "Analyzing, processing…poison made!" Gas is injected into the area, Zero can only watch as it flows over him, he can feel it weaken him somewhat. "I see all, Oculi Inferni!"

The drones move away from Zero yet guns pop out from them and circle the area. "You rat! This poison won't last long, all you did is piss me off!" Zero pushes off towards Ajax but quickly turns to block a fist from Barren.

His fist glows a dark energy as black lines start running across his body. "It's rude to ignore your other guests, I hate rude people…" Barren smiles and reels back his leg before kicking, the speed catching Zero off guard, the kick hitting his side which sent him flying off.

"Ack! Damn poison! Just what power is that anyway!?" As Zero stands up Barren is already in front of him, throwing a punch his way. Catching it, Zero summons energy in his other hand before punching Barren away.

Barren landed on his back, within a moment he sat up and looked at Zero with a smile. "My, that was a wonderful hit~" Barren stood up, his smile getting wider, almost all of his teeth were showing.

"Heh, let's test this out…!" Zero looked at Ajex and rushed at him, the drones started firing bullets at him but he was able to dodge and block all of them with ease. "Come here!" Grabbing him by the neck, Zero held Ajex up and used him as a shield as Barren slowly walked towards him. "You won't harm your comrade, will you~?"

"Oh no, anyway." Ajax's arms clung onto Zero, holding him in place. "It is as my lord wished after all!"

"I think you are mistaken about our roles in the Dominion~ We are comrades, but we only care about our lord~" He raises his arms up, moving his hands over his eyes as his smile is as wide as it could humanly be. "All I see before me…is death~!" Zero blinked, then he turned around as Barren was suddenly behind him. "Mors Ex Nihilo, it means nothing to me~"

Zero felt one impact, looking back he saw Ajex's body be split open as more impacts hit him, then he felt it. The barrage of dark energy impacts hitting all over. "AHHHGG!" Letting go of what was left he moved away, taking a small moment he pulled his sword, glaring at Barren he swung multiple times in rage. "Take this, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" Barren kept smiling as the waves of energy coming from Zero's blade cut into him, slicing off his arms and legs. 'Two leashes gone, I know for a fact Barren could have dodged those… They would die just for a show to their lord?'

Drugone clapped from his throne. "Good job, that was a good warm up round was it not? Since you have your sword out, Crest, Miranda." With a pep in their step both walk forward with grins on their faces.

I looked closer to where Ajex and Barren were, or what was left, seeing them turn into particles. "They didn't even try to stop Zero from killing them…!"

V sighed before looking over at me. "It's a show for Lord Drugone, so a show is what they will all put on…"

"Even you…?" I look back at her.

"I…I don't know." She looked away, before I could respond I heard Crest yell.

"So, you had a version of me all dolled up like a bitch, made me a puny ass monster and had my ass beat? That's a textbook definition of a little bitch! Now, I think it's time I repay the favor!" Crest smile as he gets into position.

"Crest, you dare call me a bitch! I'll make you regret that!" Zero swung at Crest who swung back, meeting the swing in the perfect angle to completely block it, both energy waves clashing.

"I died to bullshit, I didn't even get to show off to that prick there what I can really do~ So, come on 'boss' let me show you what I'm really made of~!" Crest swung multiple times, energy coming out of the sword towards Zero.

"Like you can overpower me-huh!?" As Zero met Crest's attacks with his own, he didn't think Crest would be inches from his face.

"Here, hold this for me!" Crest's blade started going into Zero, but he recovered immediately and smacked Crest away just as a whip blade showed up behind him. "You!?"

"Didn't expect to be taken from behind~? They never do~" Miranda smiles as Zero dodges out of the way of her attack. "Don't worry, with me I'll make you finish nice and quick, but expect so much pain, but I think you'll be into it~" Her sultry voice was heard from even where I was. Making me cringe.

"You are vile! Tempted but no, now die!" Zero with his other hand summoned pillars of black and red energy, they start spinning around him before moving around towards Crest and Miranda.

Both jump away each time it gets close to them, yet the pillars get quicker. "Using toys, I'm into that~!" Miranda jumps into the air as Crest rushes from the ground and passes all the pillars right at Zero. He blocks Crest's attack with his sword while he summons a shield to block Miranda's. "Heh~!" Her blade shifts and moves around his shield.

"What the hell!?" Her blade grabs onto his arm, she lands next to him and pulls him towards her.

"Come here baby~!"

Crest slashes Zero's ankle, with a smug smile he looks at Zero before jumping away as Zero gets on one knee. "On one knee for me~? I prefer both knees~!" She kicks his other knee with her heel, then expertly backflips behind him. "I'll enjoy this, so will you~!" Holding her sword with both hands she starts swinging at his back.

"YOU FUCKING WHORE!" He tried to get up but her attacks kept him down, plus it was clear Crest was waiting on him to move to rush in to attack.

"Yes~ Call me more names~ More, I want more~!" Her speed increases, her smile gets wider, her face gets more red, her breathing gets faster and hotter. She looks up in the sky as she moans. "THAT'S IT~! THE CLIMAX~! VOLUPTAS SOLUTA~!" Her blade wrapped around Zero, his eyes widened as the blade retracts, getting into his back, sides and chest before going back to its normal form.

"VANISH YOU TEMPTRESS!" Zero summons energy to his hand, he turns to Miranda with rage in his eyes and grabs her face, the energy shoots out from his hand into her face and skull, blowing off her entire head.

"Man, what a bitch she was, least she was good for a few rounds!" Crest laughs as he rushes Zero. "YOU'RE NEXT, CREST!"

Crest slides under Zero's beam attack, before Zero could fully heal he jumps back as his sword starts to glow. "My turn is done, so better showcase my move!" He swung once at Zero, then again a bit faster. Zero smiles as he meets these attacks with his own blade, yet Crest kept getting faster where I was starting to see after images of him swinging.

"HEH, SHOW ME WHAT YOU CAN DO, CREST!" Zero's eyes widened as Crest's sword now glows a vibrant rainbow color. "Have fun with this! Ferrum Malum!" Crest swung, the energy that came out of his blade was a rainbow until the last moment it hit Zero, where it all turned black. "ACK!" Being sent back far away Zero looked up, as he was lucky enough to block it with an energy shield.

"Heh, I'm dead now…" Crest said as he pointed his blade at me. "You got lucky…" Zero swung his blade at Crest, which cut the man down the middle, spitting him in two. 'They were both cocky, I got lucky back then…'

"Four down…who else is next!" Zero smiles, despite the pain he was enjoying himself, even from here I could see him healing from his wounds.

"I never liked Crest or Miranda, for many reasons, but I don't ever want to see that move she did…" V said, looking a bit disgusted.

"Tell me about it, I killed them after all so I saw them being their weird ass selves."

"You are a tough one Zero, yet without your other half you aren't quite able to keep up with all of us it seems. Quincy, Riddick, go ahead now." Drugone said, looking quite bored.

Quincy silently walked up, standing ahead of everyone else she raised both hands ahead of her with her palms open. "What's this? Just going to stand there are you? Fine, I'll kill you now!" Just as he said that her hands closed into fists and suddenly Zero eyes widened. "The… air!? I can't breathe…!" He jumped away to see the air flow around being spread away from that location, but before he could react to what she did, he quickly blocked one of Riddick's spears.

"I'll speak for us both Quincy, you see Zero my friend over there can do any kind of magic, takes your breath away doesn't it!" Riddick pushes away from Zero and spins his spears.

"Magic without talking? What a rare find, no wonder she's with you, but it doesn't matter to me either way, she will die!" Zero snaps his fingers. "Bolts of darkness, to me!" Hundreds of black and red bolts of energy formed around him aiming at Riddick and Quincy both.

"Oh yeah, let's do this!" As the bolts launch at them, Riddick spins one of his spears, a wave of white energy emits from it and forms a shield blocking and breaking the bolts aiming at him.

Quincy with her own snap summoned spikes of ice, earth and fire and sent them flying to match each energy bolt aiming at her. As they were all gone she moved her arm up, her hand brushing against her shoulder, she moved it down to her side quickly. Balls of white energy appeared behind her, at first there were a few, but it turned into at least a hundred.

"Just what is the limit to you?" Zero asked curiously, actually wondering what else this woman can do. Quickly Zero swung his sword to block Riddick's attack, who was trying to attack while he wasn't looking. "You are a bit slower than the rest-" A needle of energy shoots out from Riddick's other spear and right through Zero, he flinches and glares back at him.

"That I am, but I have my ways!" He jumped back away from Zero just as Quincy's attack started nearing, Zero put his hand out towards the balls of energy as waves of his own came from his hand, destroying them all.

Zero stumbles, glancing back at Riddick he sees him smiling. "My lord, may I end my turn early?"

"Go ahead, we don't have much time to play with him after all." Drugone said, leaning further back into his seat.

"I'll see this as you giving up, good choice!" Quincy moved her hands up instantly, chains came from the ground and kept Zero in place. "WHAT?!"

Riddick stabs the ground with one of his spears, light emitting from it. "Light and darkness, heed my call!" Spears of light form behind him, he stabs the other into the ground, black energy emitting from it. He reached out his hands towards Zero, black energy spears form next to the others. "Allow my sight to guide you to my foe, go Acus Caeli!" All at once the spears of light and darkness are sent flying at Zero, who in turn puts up a shield to the best of his ability.

Most were blocked but there were a few lodged in him, breaking the chains on him he pulled them out he put his own energy into it. "Die…!" He hissed out, sending flying right back at Riddick who smiled, spreading his arms to take them all in the chest.

As he fell, Quincy snapped her fingers again as a dark red magic circle appeared below Zero who tried to escape but more chains wrapped around his entire body. "Aren't you going to say anything, WELL!?"

"She does not speak, but simply know that this move is called 'Dantis Inferno'" Drugone said calmly.

First a red small circle appears on the edge of the larger one, then a blue, then a green. The main seven elements are formed, then an added white and black circle to include light and darkness, forming the complete summoning around Zero.

"What is this!" Out of those circles balls of magic appeared, they started going around Zero, until they merged into one ball of magic right above his head, then it fell right on him. Drugone raised his hand, summoning a barrier between everyone and the explosion.

Most had to look away as the light from it was so intense, they felt the heat of such an attack burning them with the barrier up. The only thing left standing was Zero who had shielded himself as well as where Relon had holed himself up in, even Quincy was nothing now. Zero stood there smoking, dazed and shocked, his eyes were wide open.

My own eyes were wide open, I never faced her or seen what she could do, to have that much power. (I had no chance…) V glanced over but didn't say anything.

"Ah Quincy, you never fail to amaze me~" Drugone clapped, he then turned towards Sol. "Sol, would you and Ezekiel wait a moment before going to attack?"

"Aye my lord!" Ezekiel salutes as he starts to inspect his rapier.

"Sure my lord!" Sol simply looks down and around the area.

Drugone stood up, walking towards Zero in a calm slow manner. "Quincy is one of my stronger Knights, you living is a sign of how much skill you have~" Drugone raised his hand, green energy leaves it and goes onto Zero.

"Y-You're healing me!?" Zero looks up, his eyes enraged yet he doesn't try anything.

"Yes, I want to keep this show going after all~" As he's done he turns and walks back to his throne.

(Suddenly I'm wondering where I stand in the ranks…) V wonders quietly, eyes staying on Drugone as he walks back.

(Shade, mind doing me a favor… Nah, doesn't matter, she won't know me here…) Lance sighed and stepped closer to Drugone as he got back.

(Huh…?) I tilted my head and wondered who 'she' was now, deciding to toss that to the way side I started to also wonder why these copies were so detailed in their skills and abilities.

"This…is all a show to you? Heh…Shade your world truly does have it's own monsters in it, no wonder you're fucked!" Zero stood up, moving his body around and cursing under his breath.

"Now, go show off your skills. But since he is healed, Lance, Glade, join in on the fun, but make it quick!" Drugone calls out, Glade laughs as he rushes forward ahead of the others.

"I WAS WAITING FOR MY TURN!" He started tossing bombs everywhere, small missiles coming out of his arms aiming right at Zero.

"I hate this, this… PITIFUL DISPLAY! YOU DARE PLAY WITH ME, LIKE I'M SOME GAME!" Zero powers up, energy covering his body he rushes forwards to meet Glade.

"THAT'S IT, BE TOUGH FOR THIS ONE!" He cracks his robotic knuckles, from his hand a small sphere comes out, he presses the button as Zero's sword goes right into his chest. "TOGETHER WE GO BOOM! FRAGOR!" The sphere forms a shield around them, then a loud bang comes from it that nobody else could see because of the shield.

"That was a nuke by the way, in case you were wondering, Shade. Small it may be, still tough~" As the shield goes away Zero staggers out.

"YOU PEOPLE ARE INSANE!" Before he could say anything else a gun shot goes past his face, turning he sees Ezekiel smiling at him.

"What's wrong my friend, not used to the chaos we bring?" He speaks quickly and his accent makes it almost impossible to understand.

"WHAT?!" He turns away as a blast of fire comes his way, he blocks it with his hand. "If only Relon was still here, this would mean nothing to me!"

"Doesn't matter much to me what you think, I'm just here to cook you for a bit before I get split into two!" Sol runs forwards before out from his feet fire blasts him into the air and he flies overhead.

"Man, what a weird crowd we are, guess I can't say much in the end since I'm here. Let's make it choppy guys!" Lance throws his lance at Zero, as Zero catches it, he sees it go away and back into Lance's hand.

"This weapon, its from-" He raises his sword as Ezekiel tries to stab him.

"Gotta keep your eyes on everyone, lad! Haha!"

"Do you even speak the same language!?" As Ezekiel jumps away Zero sees Lance looking up into the air with his hand reached out.

"May your soul…nah, not for you, die! Sancta Lancea!" Zero snaps his attention to above, a large lance comes down from the sky heading right for him. As he tries to dodge he sees Lance rushing at him. "I'll go out with you, as my lord wants!"

"YOU FOOLS!" Both are caught up in it, the lance stabs into the ground causing the ground to shake. As the mess settles Zero stumbles out as particles fade around him.

"Right above you!" Looking up he see Sol next to a ball of fire that was growing even larger. Sol opens his arms wide, taking in the sight of his fire. "My flames, my light! Give all a sight of what lies before death! Flammas Aurorae!" He throws the ball of fire that was now the size of Zero's tower back on earth.

Zero grinned, he was still connected to Relon and that connection was starting to slowly come back, even if a little. Focusing on that he pushed off the ground into the fire, while it did hurt, it evened out by giving him a little power. The ball hit the ground causing Drugone to once again put a shield up for the others.

"ACK!" Everyone heard, then once the light dimmed down and everyone had a slight tan now, they saw Sol dead with Zero smoking from the heat. "Just what even is in your world for people like this to be made?"

"An interesting question, I won't answer." Drugone smiled.

"Whew, glad I took cover on my ship!" Looking over everyone saw Ezekiel on a ghost ship heading towards Zero. Holding a compass he cocks a grin and aims his rapier at Zero. "Oh, I've been waiting for this! 'Bout to make a name for myself here!" More ghost ships emerge from everywhere, their guns trained on Zero. "Blast 'em to where we are all heading, Fatum Navem!" Each gun fired.

"Enough of this…" Zero jumped into the air, floating there he cuts open rounds as they get to him, blocks with the other hand and dodges. As they keep blasting he flies past the barrages, until he gets close to Ezekiel, he raises his hand at the ship he was on and from it another beam of energy comes out.

"Least I went out smiling!" The beam hits, all the ghost ships vanish and Zero hovers there, he looks towards everyone else as he slowly floats down to the ground.

"It's nearly time for Relon to join back, who else do you plan to send in to die?"

"Osiris, you'll be the last one before me~" Drugone smiles, Osiris nods and steps forward.

"Huh? What about Cardinal, Hokori, or myself?!" V stands up and asks, Drugone doesn't even turn to face her as he responds.

"You will fight with Shade, isn't that what you want? Hokori has his own goal and Cardinal… Well, she will see the other boy~"

"I guess…" V looks away.

"What do you want in all of this?" I asked Hokori, looking at him questioningly.

"You'll see soon Shade, maybe you don't know the details as much as I thought you did… The spell down there is almost done as well, soon your friends will join you up here to fight Zero head on, I'll join around that time~" Hokori says, inspecting his sword. 'The details? I don't know anything about him, what should I know? Wait, spell?'

"So, just you and me huh?" Zero looks Osiris up and down.

"I am my lord's axe, I shall die to you for him, but I shall let you know pain!" Osiris shifts his weapon to hold it more firmly, then with his other hand he opens it up to summon a second identical axe.

"You think two will help?" Zero smirks as he walks closer.

The axes light up and despite them being large Osiris easily lifts them up to form an X shape with them. "For my lord, you will know suffering!" He then reels both back and swings at Zero.

Two lines of energy head towards Zero who blocks it with ease. "This is getting boring now!"

As he stepped forward those two same lines of energy turned and went around him, before turning again to go right into his back. "AGR! WHAT?!" He was sent flying forward and Osiris, having rushed up, combined both axes together and slammed the middle of the axe against Zero, sending him flying.

"You wanted him alive, so I will not kill him my lord, but it's rather hard." He brings the combined axe up to his head, paying respects to the blade. "May my edge meet flesh, may it be swift, may it be red. Go forth, Comedentis Animarum!" The axe glows a deep red, as Zero stands up from where he landed he was Osiris swing. The path it had cut kept going, a red line forming where it went, the ground was even cut permanently from it. Zero, seeing it come at him, quickly dodged, but his hand was caught up in it.

"DAMN IT!" Looking down he sees it was gone, burnt off. Trying to grow it back he was finding it difficult. Looking up he sees Osiris standing there.

"Shade, feeling better?" V asked me, looking down worried.

Letting out a breath I stand up, flexing my hands I smile as my strength is back and I didn't need to focus as much since many of the Dominion were gone now. "Good to go!"

"Osiris, you may leave now, I shall play with him until the other boy returns~" Drugone stood up, his throne disappearing.

"Right my lord!" Osiris walked up to Zero as he dropped his weapon.

"Begone!" As Zero's hand healed he used his sword to cut Osiris in half, as his body turned into particles Zero kept walking towards Drugone.

"Shade, stay close to me, I'm not even sure what he's capable of!? V said, grabbing my hand tightly.

"The Beyond, the view is terribly awful, let's change that~" He snapped his fingers. The entire landscape changed and was twisted into something straight from a nightmare. The sky was a blood red, yet within that red was bodies, just floating in it. They were all Skinless with blood all over hung above, the ground turned into a type of red stone, pillars of it rushed out of the ground, the ground beneath us started moving and we went up towards the sky before stopping a good ways from the ground.

"W-What the hell?!" Looking around I still see the worlds, but everywhere else was turned into what people call hell.

"This is…" V was stunned as Hokori simply smiled, Laura didn't even flinch.

"What the hell is this place?! How do you have so much control over the Beyond?!" Zero also on top of his own pillar of red stone looked around.

"My secret, but this sight is far superior then that nothing you had before~" He was on his own pillar.

Looking down I saw the area Relon should be also on its own pillar, yet below it, below where everything was before, laid an ocean of bodies and blood that ranged from large to small, clothed to naked, had skin to skinless. Then the smell hit, the area now had a red mist to it that reeked of decaying flesh. 'W-What…the fuck? Why, what the hell is this!?'

"You…just what are you?!" Zero couldn't even understand the person before him, this man was far more sick and twisted than anything he ever did.

"This sight you see, this is the time Shade comes from, what was going on just before he was sent to the 'past'! The entire world was bathing in blood and death, innocents didn't matter, for death is what I needed~! If only I can say why, but alas I can not~" Drugone's eyes glowed red, he snapped again and a large area rose up, an entire platform that could have hundreds on it.

"The other boy is almost back, your friends from the surface are also about to show up, this will be the perfect spot to fight on don't you think~?"

"MY TIME!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS IS WHEN I COME FROM!?" I took a step forward to be stopped by V, who shook her head.

(Trust me Shade, it's not worth trying to fight him for answers, just know I didn't even see what was going on…) I was shaking, a mix of anger and fright, for if this is what had happened to where I come from, just why?

"Don't look upset Shade, not like it will happen again, well who knows really~ Hokori, you may need this as well!" As he snapped his fingers once again, a red crimson moon appeared, shining an eerie red glow over everything. "Once I'm gone the moon will go to its normal color, the sky will change yet everything else will remain how I want it to be~! So, Zero, what will you do now~?!" Drugone taunted down, a twisted smile on his face with his hands going back into his pockets.

"What are you…? You aren't human, you can't be human, even with all of the stigmas this shouldn't be something you can do!?" Zero took a step back, then another. He gripped his sword and summoned his power into his other hand, ready to attack if Drugone moved.

Pushing past V I stepped near the edge, Hokori smiling at me as he watched. "DRUGONE!" I screamed out, my throat hurting from the intensity. "TELL ME, TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY!?" I felt V walk up next to me, almost wanting to stop me, but doesn't, she just stands there watching.

"Heh, if I'm going to explain myself, I want an audience so I'll wait, plus it will be my grand exit off of this stage~ For now I shall play with this being until my time comes to an end~!" Before I could draw my guns, Drugone was gone, hearing a clash I look over to see Drugone and Zero facing off, Zero's palm was stretched out, his black and red energy shooting out towards Drogone who was blocking it with ease with a mixture of light and darkness that was in his own palm.

"The elements of Light and Darkness, have you seen them before? I helped bring them in my world, they are already there but only the strong could access them and only under certain conditions. I have control over both along with two more abilities, can you guess what they are~?"

"Screw you!" Zero pushes forward, blasting Drugone's hand back while swinging his sword, aiming for the neck. "DIE YOU BUG!"

With Drugone's other hand he flicks one of his fingers, around it a wire of blood comes out that forms into a double bladed blood saber which clashes with Zero's sword.

"I'm a bug now? I think I deserve a better name than that, but as you can guess I have power over blood~!" He pushes Zero away, skidding to a halt. Zero looks up to see Drugone twirling his weapon.

"Darkness, Light and Blood?! And you have more tricks up your sleeve!?" Zero growls, ready to strike again already.

"The name of the weapon you ask?" Zero looks up confused. "What?"

"Why I'm proud of this, I forged it myself, Puella Cordis is the name~!" Drugone swung towards Zero, a line of blood formed which hardened before launching itself at Zero.

Dodging out the way, the area behind Zero was cut in half. "Come, Zero, let's put on a show~!"

"Fine, I'll show you what I can really do!" Both jump onto another pillar, their blades meeting which causes shockwaves behind them.

I knelt down by the edge, V also kneeling down while the other two stood behind me. "Is this what happened to everyone?" I said to myself as I heard the clashes of their swords echo all around.

"I…I don't know Shade." V stayed silent after that, a hand on my shoulder. 'Did my time end up like this? Was this red sky there back then, was that why I was feeling so weak?'

Chaos erupted around the area, Zero and Drugone jumping from place to place, cutting pillars in half, destroying the ground and bodies that were further below and having the red mist blow away from the shockwaves. "You're good Zero, given time you would be a great opponent!"

"I'm not done yet, you demon!" Zero reached out, a beam shoot outs that caused explosions everywhere it touched.

"Good, I like this… Oh, times nearly up~" Drugone smiled and started leaning forward, almost like he was about to fall down. "Sit down, weakling~" Drugone vanished, Zero who was floating above suddenly felt a hand hit his chest sending him down to the large platform below.

"ACK, W-WHAT THE HELL!?" In a crater now, he tried to stand up. A pool of blood that wasn't his own surrounds him, as he gets on one knee he looks up to see Drugone land before calmly and slowly walking up to him.

"Does that mean your friend is almost out?" V questions from above, seemingly ready to join the fight now.

"I-I think so, but how does Drugone kno-" My eyes widened at what I saw.

"Huh? What is it?" V looks at me, then at where I was looking. "Oh…"

As Drugone stepped onto the pool of blood, he looked the same, yet his reflection spoke another truth. A demon stood, it was hard to make out the details but you could see the armor, the spikes on it and the blood leaking from it.

"You really are a demon…I think I misjudge what your kind can do…" Zero looks up at Drugone, fear in his eyes.

"Yes, you did. Zero I shall give you time to think on your actions, to figure out counters to what's to come~" Drugone's stigmas glow bright, an orb materializes in his hand, that orb seems to reflect light and bend the area around it. "The goddess's power can form the greatest of hells~ Diaboli Servus, let death be our escape~!" Drugone slams the orb into Zero, his eyes widen and he seems to just kneel there with Drugone staring right into his eyes.

As Drugone stands up he steps back, I could see Zero slowly blink and stare ahead almost in a daze, then I sensed it, looking over we all turn to see the cocoon getting brighter.

"The time has come!" Hokori holds his weapon up.

"Hmm…" Laura doesn't say anything, just gripping her sword tighter.

"Ready Shade?" V asked gently, I could tell she was more soft spoken because of the state I was in.

Looking up I let out a sigh then pulled out both of my handguns. "Yeah, I'm ready!"

3rd Person

Feeling a sudden wave of heat, everyone turn to the black crystal as shards begin to hit the ground. Bit by bit, more black flames burst from all sides as it shifts from black to white and then back to black.

With one final breakthrough, the entire crystal bursts open as Relon's black form blurs high to stop in midair as his black wings expand with a resurgence of power.

White slits carefully opening, they inspect all to lay eyes upon Zero.

One moment Relon was high in the sky and the next an inflamed fist had struck deep into Zero's abdomen. Pushing, intent on that blow alone being the finality of this long battle, Relon's wings despawn as the power is converted into his fist for a plume of darkness to send both back.

Correcting his form into a flip, he skids next to Shade.

"Order!" Both Relon and Zero exclaim in unison.

"Shatter the meaning of life!"

"Protect all that lives!"

The world inwardly rumbled, nearly causing all to stumble.

"What's happening?!"

"Both orders are acting against each other," Relon shouted. "An order has to be completed through omnipotence before another can be made. But both are the perfect opposite so they're at a stalemate. Both orders fighting to claim dominance." Walking forward, Pippin and Pappan going to his hands as Zero gets to his feet, Relon throws both. "Order! Do not lose against any other order!"

"Order! Neg-" Zero begins to be cut off as he blocks Pippin with a shield of black energy. "Nega-" Once more, he has to raise his hand to block Pappan as both push against the glass-like substance.

One look at the stars above illuminating their radiant glow tells Relon's own order to have been the victor as everyone glows a flash of light including the three planets momentarily.

"N-No!" Zero winces, inwardly tucking his body in, likely from Relon's previous attack.

"And here comes your friends~" Drugone standing just a few feet away smiles as he looks over at the planets.

Moments ago back on the surface of the battlefield where the magic circle Angela was casting had since grown to cover the entire sky, everyone stood nearby, ranging from Loewe, the SSS, Class VII and many more. "May this world be forever protected!" Angela, who was mostly whispering to herself during the spell finally yelled out as the magic circle expanded even more before exploding into particles. She lets out a sigh as the magic circle on the ground faded.

"Is it done?" Alex walked up and asked, looking at the sky.

"Since when did you have a spell like that, or spells in general mother?" Vergil walked right up to her, confused.

"Since your father was sealed, no even before that…" Both boys looks at each other just as the witches walked up.

"I can't believe this is actually going to work!" Rinwell gasps.

"With this much… I can only fathom the distance," Munechika voices, reeling from the expense of such mana.

"That spell…" Vita begins, gathering herself to eye Angela. "No ordinary spell can transcend the travel of space and time. Even if to a world absent from reality. So how did you do such a thing I wonder."

"The true power of demons, the one I married was the number one…" Angela starts leaning forward, but is caught by her sons.

"MOM?!" "MOTHER?!" Alex and Vergil held her close as she fell, falling with her to the ground.

"As he said… the spell took everything, but it was worth it…" Angela wrapped her arms around each of her sons, holding them close.

Everyone was stunned into silence by not only the scene, but by the fact she used her own life to help save the world. Tio watched on as tears started to form in her eyes, Magilou was stoic next to her.

"MOM?! Why, WHY!?" Alex screamed out as Vergil was silent, eyes wide as Angela's body started to glow.

"My boys, you are ready to face this world… You have all of these people here to help you, Alex, you have Tio… Vergil, you do need to open up more, but you'll find the right girl…~" Angela teased even as her breathing started to slow.

"But, there's one I can't talk to, so… Rinwell?" Angela looked up at the girl.

"Yeah?" She answered, hurrying over.

"Once you head to where Shade is at, he'll be able to tell what happened to me… You out of everyone here shares a connection to him that he isn't aware of yet, so I'm trusting this message to you…tell him. That his mother loved him, till the very end…"

"Angela…" Grasping the necklace, Rinwell nods teary-eyed. "Leave it to me!"

"Well my dear, guess I'll be seeing you…soon." Angela turned into red particles, leaving her sons holding onto nothing.

"M-Mom…" Alex tried to grab onto the particles for them to slip through his hands.

"He'll pay…" Vergil stood up, a rage in his eye as he turned to look at Vita. "You, send me up there to kill Zero! NOW!"

"Ready, Munechika, Rinwell?"

"Yes. Let us end this once and for all."

"Hootle and I will help maintain the balance in mana."

"Hoot!"

"Angela," Vita begins as she carefully sway her staff. "You were another mother, the same as I. Yet, like I, you too cherished the life of another your own yet not. Bear witness to the creation you birthed!" Head snapping to the new planet, she slams the end of her staff down as a pulse of red, blue, and white resonates across the area.

In a large flash everyone is transported far above, to where the fight was now at, where the fate of everything hanged. Drugone smiled as the bright flash of light appeared behind Shade and the others. "Perfect~"

Exchanging blows, Relon and Zero clash fists as a shockwave of negative power ruptures the Dimensional Graveyard. Righting himself, his eyes look back to widen at the sight of everyone.

"How…" Head looking back to Zero equally as stunned, veins begin to protrude atop his skin as he glares. "HOW DID SO MANY CRACKS SEEP THROUGH?! OUR PLAN WAS NEAR PERFECT!"

"You didn't account for the endless possibilities both I and Shade could bring!"

"Relon…!" He growls, dark aura igniting as does Relon's.

At once, both rip towards the other.

"Black Flash!"

"Rasengan!"

Fist of cursed energy tied to black lightning strikes a gyrating sphere of black fire for the entire planet to tremble once more. Surging more power, Relon jerks his attack for it to tilt upwards slightly maneuvering Zero's fist to strike his wrist sending him up and across the barren land.

Flickering out of existence to appear next to Shade, both look at everyone.

"There are no chains on me~" Drugone whispers as the area below him starts going up into the sky.

Shade eyes widened as the leash on him Drugone shattered to pieces like it was nothing. "WHAT?!" Shade stepped forward as Drugone smiled right at him.

"Freeze~" Both the world made us freeze, along with the power of all of his stigmas, the ball of time he held in his hand keeping everything solid. "I must say Shade, you thought you could just summon me to do your bidding? I mean it was a good show if anything, but to use me on this back alley garbage is rather…dull~" Drugone snapped his hand for Zero to appear right before him.

"W-Why, how!?" Shade hissed, barely able to speak.

"Why, that's easy and I'll tell everyone here… I'm no copy." He looked at Shade with a smug expression while he could only watch on, frozen yet now terrified.

"You see I am Drugone, demon lord of the True Gehenna as you may have guessed. But I am the only Drugone in all the worlds there is to be, there can be and will not be any copies~ So when I got here I could use this realm just the same as you or Relon here, but you did offer me a show and for that I'll reward you, but first let me make sure everyone knows what me and my loyal knights did!" He snapped his fingers, everyone that was here now had the memories of the entire fight since Shade and Relon went to the Beyond.

"And to wrap up my end~" Drugone placed his hand on Zero's head, the power of light and darkness formed around it and everyone was forced to watch as Zero's entire body exploded before them just as Drugone started turning into particles. "See you, Shade~" Like that Drugone left and his power over time went with him, allowing everyone to move again.

"What was… These memories…" Rinwell says, holding her now slightly pounding head.

"They're Relon's and Shade's," Van blinks.

"Kallen…" Shizuna mumbles in pained anger.

"You did your duty until the end," Duvalie says in a solemn tone.

"Relon…" Munechika murmurs as Relon hovers into the air.

"ZERO! GET OUT HERE, I KNOW YOU AREN'T DONE!" Vergil screams out, walking ahead of everyone else.

"Shade, glad to see you still alive, you went crazy mode down there on earth, I got a good view at least!" Magilou rushed up next to Shade, holding her staff. "Also, uh something happene-"

"I can tell… Now is not the time!" Shade glared at the last two he had on leashes.

"What, we are in fact copies, right Cardinal?" Hokori smiles as he looks over at Laura.

She doesn't answer, her eyes filled with anger as she looks at Relon.

Scanning for where Zero disappeared to, his head snaps to the surge of anger directed at him, though no where near compared to Zero's. One look and he was staring at another Laura, clearly not a good version as judged by her dark outfit. One side glance to Victor and Relon could see the father in equal bafflement.

"Laura?"

"Shouldn't have called her that~" Hokori smiled as within that moment Laura pulled out her sword, attempting to do some sort of attack on Relon before she froze.

"Ah! Damn leashes! Relon, that's not her, not anymore! Victor, don't bother with this version of her, trust me!" Shade yelled out, holding the side of his head.

"Order!" He instead ignores. "Locate Zero!" Watching the star coalesce at his will, this flicker out. "What the? He's… here?" Eyes scanning the area, Relon furrows as both swords zoom in opposite directions to soon return from the other's end. "Nothing?" Delving in further confusion, his eyes go to the cosmos. "No, that wouldn't make sense either. Then-" Eyes going wide, he looks at everyone. "Zero's merged with this planet!"

The moment those words left Relon, all hell broke loose. The ground, once again, rumbled in greater magnitude as the entire landmass became covered into a layer of darkness before it all surged in one direction over the dim horizon.

"To think, I'll be forced into this form… If that's the case, I'll make you all submit to what's to come by force alone!" Waves of darkness swarmed over everyone as a shadowy head that was larger than a tank appeared.

"If he merged with this planet, then the very ground we walk could be a weapon~" Hokori said calmly, holding his weapon out, ready to unsheathe his weapon. Like Drugone said earlier the red moon that hung in the sky faded to a white full moon. "Heh."

"Relon, ready to end this freak!?" I aim at the giant head as I heard everyone behind me pull out their weapons or aim at Zero.

Grasping both weapons one final time, both become coated in black and white energy respectively. "Just end this bastard already!"

"THIS IS TRULY THE END OF THE LINE, RELON, SHADE!" Zero's voice resounds. "THE AGE OF HUMAN AND ELEMENTAL SHALL FALL HERE! SUCCUMB TO ALL THAT I AM! DROWN IN MY MALEVOLENCE!"

"You're done! Simple as that!" Relon exclaims, black corrupt wings manifesting as he reels both swords back to unleash a dual-colored flame attack towards the maw of Zero.

Mouth stretching inhuman-like, it devours the attack.

"No way!"

"DELICIOUS! ORDER! CEASE ALL FURTHER ORDERS!"

"Damn it!"

"MWAHAHAHAHA! DO YOU SEE, RELON LUCINANCE? BY EXPERIENCING YOUR 'ALL,' I BECAME STRONGER! NOW, WITHOUT THE INTERVENTION OF OUR DIVINE RIGHTS, YOU HAVE NOTHING LEFT BUT YOUR OWN MEAGER STRENGTH!"

"ZERO!" Vergil, filled with rage rushed at Zero, his sword glowing red as he gripped the handle, slicing the air in front of him. A dark shield formed where the attack would have hit, cutting the shield but leaving Zero unharmed.

"ANOTHER DEMON, YOU ARE NOTHING, YOUR MOTHER DIED FOR NOTHING!" As Vergil got closer a wisp of darkness grabbed his ankle and lifted him up before smashing him into the ground and tossing him back. "Truly a weakling!"

"Got any ideas Relon? I doubt my handguns will do much to him, least for now!" Shade looks up at Relon from below.

"It's obviously a lie for what he said. He was hit with countless attacks from different versions of me. There has to be another way he's like this. A source or something!"

"What is enabling this place to remain here?" Lloyd calls over.

"The Dimensional Graveyard?" That seemed to click something in Relon's head. "Because of the Beyond and Earth being so close! Even though Zero and I absorbed the stockpiled power, they're still enabling this place to exist!"

"Then we need to separate the Beyond and Earth!" Rean urges.

"Any bright ideas?"

"Even I can't push either planet far away."

"If you can't push something out of the way, why not just destroy it?" Shade offers.

"Destroy the Beyond?"

"Hey, if Zero dealt with it back when he first came into power, then Earth should be fine with the planet itself, right?"

"When he puts it like that, the idea, as crazy as it sounds, is still better than nothing." Lloyd relents.

"Relon, you're the only one at this moment that can destroy the Beyond. We'll deal with Zero. You need to get up there and-"

"HAHAHA! DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE I WOULD ALLOW SUCH ACTS TO GO UNNOTICED?!" Zero hollers.

Before him, countless yet familiar tendrils spawn humanoid shadow variants of Zero. Some sprout wings as others dig into the earth.

"WE'VE GOT INCOMING!" Vergil roars.

"We're the last barrier standing before the extinction of all life!" Lloyd calls out. "Everyone, fight with everything you've got!"

"For the mistakes we've caused, for the lives lost, we make our stand here!" Rean speaks with his sword pointed at the approaching army of creatures.

"Relon!" Shade exclaims. "Get going so we can go home!"

Floating away, as a flying nightmare swoops in for its wings to be cleaved off by Pippin and stabbed by Pappan, one look at everyone tells all Relon needs. Tucking in, he zooms into space with countless fliers giving chase.

Shade looked back to see Alex starting to stand up, having been held by Tio as he cried, both share a look as Alex wipes his tears away before bringing his sword up. "Well, with that out the way…" Shade smiled under his mask. "Let's kill these nightmares!" He aimed ahead and shot one as everyone around started fighting.

"We got your back Shade!" V calls out, moving within Shade's shadow only to pop out from behind a nightmare before stabbing it.

"Eh, guess I'll help!" Magilou grins as she spins her staff, pointing it ahead, fire bursts forward covering a group of nightmares in fire that burns them. "Finally, something I can use fire on!"

"I will kill these things, but that leash better be on tight, Shade!" Laura hissed out, fully drawing her dark silver sword and rushing into the lines of nightmares alone.

"S, you better cover me here, we're pretty much surrounded!" Nadia called out, back to back with Swin.

"Already on it, I won't let any of these things touch you, not ever!" Nadia looked over at shoulder and smiled. "My hero!"

"Van, we should focus on covering anyone using range arts or guns!" Elaine dodges out of the way of a nightmare for Van to move in to take it out.

"Got it, good thing these things are easy to kill, but why are there so many!?" Both move further into the battle to cover their allies.

"Eight Leaves!" Arios calls out.

"Right!"

"Let's do it!"

"Spirit Unification!" Waves of power layered atop each other release as all three blur across wave after wave.

"True Arcane…"

"Twin Arcane…"

"Luminous…"

"GALE!" All three sync in unison as an icyhot whirlwind barrels through.

"Don't stop!" Arios shouts, he and Rean splitting off as Shizuna flutters around to feel something grab her. Head ducking on instinct to cut down the creature, it splits off into two reeling back two sickles respectively. "Damn!"

"What a sorry sight this is!" In a flash of white both creatures are cut down, looking over Shizuna sees Hokori slowly walk towards her with a smile. "Are you really that weak, Shizuna~?"

"Who the hell? You're a Dominion from Shade's world!" Turning to strike another creature, she looks back to the grinning man.

"Heh, I see… Yes, I am and in his world I had a very special honor, one that even my lord entrusted to me." He held his weapon in front of him, finally pulling the blade out of its sheath. "Guess what that task was, Shizuna?"

"Knowing Shade's history in screwing everyone over, myself included, I'm guessing something I'm going to hate."

"Yes, why he and V teamed up to kill Ikaruga, he didn't kill you or Kurogane. This version of you is far weaker, and there's no point in killing you again here, my dear sister~" He looked to his left and swung his blade. There was no one there but creatures, but with that single swing he took them all out in a flash of white light.

"What did you call me?! Hey, explain!"

"As you wish. But you may not get it as it seems you don't have a brother here, or he may already be dead. My hair is dyed black for one, we weren't raised together, as our parents only needed one child in the picture, no room for accidents~" His blade was almost like a mirror to her own, but with a darker aura behind it.

Wordlessly, she slices a creature with suddenly little effort. "Accidents? I see." Turning away, she takes a stance. "Thank you for telling me but…" She shoots forward, blinding strikes encompassing a field of foes as she returns to where she started. "Whatever you have to say, I could care less. My origins is one thing I don't care for. I'm looking to live in my future, not my past." Rushing for Hokori, he doesn't flinch as she cuts down a foe. "If you truly get enjoyment out of torture, go do that to someone else." Without awaiting his response, she's off to another group of nightmares.

Looking over at the raging Vergil, Hokori shakes his head. "That someone else already is~ Yet say what you will, you better watch Shizuna." The moon far above shines, so does his blade.

"May the moon shine down!" Hokori extends his arm, his blade pointing right at the ground, letting it go, it falls into the ground like it fell into water. The area around everyone is covered in darkness as the only light is the moon above, cherry blossom trees seem to appear out of nowhere, blowing petals everywhere. "The power we share, we inherited, let it come forth…"

The moon above fades as what seems like an eclipse happens, now the only light around is the glint of his weapons. "Iter Ad Interitum, death is the only way!"

Everyone could only watch in stunned silence as hundreds of blades formed around, lighting up the creatures in a white and pink shine, in that instant Hokori was at each blade, grabbing it and stabbing it into them. "Let this be your lesson, Shizuna…"

Shade glanced over, shocked as Hokori left, fading away into particles as the light returned to the field, half of the monsters were gone now. Two blades remained, one next to Shizuna and another next to Vergil.

In the sky, Relon twirls downwards avoiding a series of black beams to manifest a portal. Veering through it to reappear behind the creatures, he decapitates them as their bodies burst to nothing.

"So many!" Relon growls. "I've recovered and yet I still haven't amassed enough to use Neutralyx again!"

"And you won't ever get the chance." Swinging a wing to block an armed blade from a nightmare, he's sent away to quickly right himself as a fleet of flying creatures stand between him and the Beyond. "All things living shall cease."

"That's where you're wrong!" Rushing to cut down the creature, he blurs forward. "Flare Blitz!" Coating himself in condensed flames, he barrels through the laser bombardment.

No matter how many came, he had to keep going. He was the only one that could see this through. No matter what, he couldn't stop when they were so close.

More and more, volleys from all sides slow his momentum until with one last surge of negative energy, Relon's attack fizzles out as countless explosions surge.

"YES! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!"

Eyes looking up to the chaos far above, horrified expression adorned many at the falling male.

"Relon!"

"No, Relon!"

"Shit, Lucinance!"

"CUZ!"

'Wake up. You have one last trump card, do you not?'

Eyes stirring, his body flips in time as he once again touches down. Crouching, he stumbles to catch himself.

"But, Helios…" Head lifting to gaze upon the evil army, he releases a steady breath.

'You swore, did you not? Your chance has come. Now, it is my turn!'

"Marshadow," he calls, the shadowy creature manifesting to walk next to him. "Sorry. I thought we wouldn't need to resort to this after all."

"A PUNY SHADOW CREATURE? YOU'VE LOST! OUT OF OPTIONS, OUT OF POWER! GIVE UP!"

Head lifting to see countless meteorites suddenly manifest, they strike.

"RELON!"

'Don't forget, Relon. Power comes in response to a need, not a desire.'

He understood.

To defeat this evil, he needed to be willing to do whatever it took. Up until now, he fought will every option available that he could manifest. Yet, as mighty as those were, the end was here. He had to make a choice.

"Helios, Marshadow, thanks. For everything."

To all, Relon stood. Markings once again etched themselves atop his skin as his vermilion eyes transitioned to black with white slits. The dark power made his own manifested its aura as his wings sprouted.

"Once more you attempt to defy fate. Yet, your own destiny has already been determined by me!"

"You have no idea how wrong you are," Relon shook his head. "Time to go big or go home, Helios!" Rolling his sleeve, ancient texts from the Beyond permeate through his marked skin.

"DON'T TELL ME! STOP HIM!" Even with his orders as the nightmare creatures surged forward, even as Zero's maw attempted to suck everything and everyone that opposed him, the attempt proved fruitless.

"Arise from the depths of hell and burn all in your wake! Bathe the world of new with the flames of a bygone era! Zoro-Agruga, the Dark Dragon of Ruination!"

Striking the ground, nothing happened. Then…

A purple blast of corrupt and dense power bellowed.

"He did it!" Duvalie awes.

"Go, my son." Vita mumbles.

"YOU SUMMONED THE DARK DRAGON!?" Shade yelled out, knowing full well what it was.

"THE VERY THING THAT'S SAVED US TIME AND TIME AGAIN!" Relon shot back, too focused on what was ahead of him. "Helios, those things need to go!"

Reeling its head back, a banshee-like curdle bellowed from Helios as countless spawns were eviscerated.

"Whoa…" Rinwell widens.

"He just took out most of those things with a roar…!" Van awes.

"I've read stories of just the pure destruction this beast has supposedly committed," Vita gapes.

"This level of power, Relon has only been controlling a fragment until entering the Dimensional Graveyard…!" Munechika widens.

"All or nothing, Helios!" Relon shoots to overtop its head as Helios' maw opens as energy from the surrounding space draws near. "Let's see you tank this attack, Zero!" Condensing the purple and black energy into a perfect sphere. "We're not done yet!" Raising his hand overhead, flames spiral in a helix before its shape alters. More and more it grows matching the orbs enormous size. "Eat this! Planetary Cryptid-Beast Blazing Rasenshuriken!"

Chucking the giant burning shuriken-shaped attack, a volley of purple spheres form Helios converge as they merge into a giant spherical attack.

"He's going to dodge it!"

To everyone's surprise, countless black shields emerged. One by one, the attack shattered each one with little effort until it reached the last. With a final push, it shot straight through Zero, decapitating its mouth from the rest of its enlarged head.

"We're not done yet!" True to his words, the attack doesn't cease, instead curving and veering towards the Beyond. "GOOOOOOOO!"

"PERISH!"

Impacting, the world flashed white. Then it gained a purple tint before the natural colors of each element imploded like fireworks.

"BRACE FOR THE SHOCKWAVES!"

"Helios, protect everyone!" Relon roars, rising to the sky as Helios hunkers protectively before everyone. "You can't escape me, Zero! FINAL… ATOMIC…" Drawing his hands over the other, a shimmering silver manifests into a radiant orb as wisps of flames leak out.

"RELON LUCINANCE!" Zero rebounds, endless copies appearing in front of Relon.

"KAMEHAMEHAAAAAAAA!"

Mere rege from Relon, Zero's form becomes lost in the blinding light as the beam careens for the exploding planet.

"I… won't… BE DEFEATED! NOT BY YOU! I REFUSE!" Protesting in defiance, he calls upon Alter-Pappan to vanish into a portal.

"NO YOU DON'T! SHADE!" Relon calls shooting to Shade as he cuts a portal open with Pappan.

Quickly putting away one of his hand guns, Shade pulls out his scythe and jumps into the portal. Upon seeing his target Shade spun his weapon as he came down. "JUST DIE ASSHOLE!"

"Shade?!"

"AND ME!" Relon roars as Zero whirls his head in time to narrowly block a flaming fist followed by a weak shield defending from a volley of bullets.

Landing, both quickly look around finding themselves in some sort of light fog. A cloudy void filled with rising particles and what could be mistaken for shooting stars spiraling upwards around the border.

"What is this place?" Relon wonders as both refocus on Zero hunched over.

"How…? How can this have happened?! I, the being who destroyed that blasted Aidios, reduced to this? HOW?! HOW?! HOW?!"

"Throwing a tantrum seems so much like you, Zero!"

"Killing a goddess isn't that impressive, you've seen the monsters I summoned!" I aim right at him.

"Believing your own greatness would stem from what you hated most, pretty ironic if you ask me!" Relon adds, raising a hand of flames alongside Shade.

"You…! BOTH OF YOU…! HOW MUCH WILL IT TAKE TO PUT YOU BOTH DOWN- ARGH!"

Without hesitation, a single bullet blows a hole in his head as a single hot flame pierces his throat.

"You're finished, Zero. Done, over with."

"You've done a lot of shit to the people here, to this guy here and you pissed me right off! You're lucky that I want to be done with you, cause I know plenty of ways to torture people!"

"Hehe…! Order-"

"Mute yourself," Relon commanded.

Voice caught in his throat, Zero scratches at his now missing mouth.

"Disable all orders via thought or speech from you." Relon adds. "I told you, Zero. Your terror, your horrid story, ends here." Body shimmering in a familiar light, Relon readies himself as the same light shimmers from Shade. "This is…!" He says, withdrawing his ARCUS to widen. "What a way to end this. Ready?"

"I've been ready, this has been a hell of a long week!" Spinning his scythe again he holds it over his shoulder.

Stumbling to hold Alter-Pappan, Zero lunges forward for the sword to hold him back. Looking back wide-eyed at the sword no longer moving, he grips it tighter for it to swing for him only to vanish.

"Remember that rule you placed on Pappan?! Seems it's finally come to its senses! Game over, Zero!" Twirling both blades to connect into their dual blade form, black and white energy protrude from both ends. "You're all alone!"

"Oh, my scythe is glowing just like your weapon is, say wanna do it at the same time?" Shade cracked a smile under his mask, getting ready to swing.

"That's the sole rule… for a Dual Craft!" The mention alone made Zero take a single step back to reel back its hands before unleashing a plume of darkness towards both. "Humanity shall persevere! Now and forever!"

"Eat shit and die!" He puts his other gun away and focuses on timing his attack. "Dual Craft…" Swinging his scythe he holds it over his right shoulder, ready to swing down with all of his might.

"Dual Craft…" One double swing of Relon's dual blades came piercing through both the darkness as he pivots for his second turn.

"Radiant Dawn!"

The crack of light had reached the end of this ravaged tunnel. From the past to the present and yonder towards the future, their hearts united as one.

Three slash marks remain embedded as the darkness surrounding Zero began to crack. More and more, it spread covering his whole body. Then he stopped and simply crumbled. No particles, simply vanishing into dust in the liquid floor below.

With a flick of his weapon, Relon looked where Zero once stood, he glanced over a Shade.

"Hell of a week, huh?" Relon offered, chuckling as his powers faded.

"I want to go home…" Shade almost mimicking Magilou now said as he put his scythe away.

"Oh… Now that you mention it. Order!" As expected, the shimmering particles around glowed at his beckon call. "Want to? I can do it while we're here."

"Do what? To say I have a lot on my mind is an understatement, so just tell me what your plan is…" Shade crosses his arms, looking at the other boy.

"You can be so- ugh. Open a portal back to Shade's world!" At his command, the small world glowed as ripples reverberated against their feet.

True to his command, from the water emerged a mirror with an image on the other side.

"Huh, how long will this stay open?"

"As long as I want. Though I suppose we should take care of the obvious first. Order! Return Earth and the Beyond to how they were before Zero and keep a portal and rift open to our worlds in… Eryn?" Relon shrugs to Shade for confirmation.

"Yeah but would everything return to how it was? Would Kallen and…my mom still be dead?" Shade hesitated at the end, accepting the fact his mom was there.

"Order! Can all of those killed under Zero's reign come back to life?" Before their feet, the water rippled.

"Yes." It read.

"Then Kallen and Shade's mom can be revived?"

Two letters.

"The one known as Kallen cannot due to their location of passing. The entity claimed to be Angela's origins prevent her."

"The Dimensional Graveyard…" Relon realized to furrow before wincing in ache at the news. "But Angela being a demon stops that too? I'm sorry Shade."

"Don't be, aside she's not a demon but who knows what she and my father did... Let's just head back. We got people waiting for us."

Acknowledging, the world flashed, warping their visions.

"Mmm… " Relon blinked, shaking his head. "Shade? You good?"

"Not like it would kill me…" Shade with a sigh took off his mask and placed it on his hip. "I hate the Beyond…"

"I don't know what that place was but… I'm just glad it's over." Relon stretches to inspect the city magically repairing itself before their very eyes, "Heimdallr, huh? Right where we met. How poetic," Relon chuckles.

"Say, as I watch this city build itself up, how bad did Roer get?" Crossing his arms he glanced in the direction of said city.

"The upper half looked far better off. Practically the entire bottom half was just rubble. The top was that better off but at least some of the landmarks were still somewhat distinguishable."

"At least I kinda expected to destroy an entire city this time, I don't want to know what it even looked like but I'm sure Magilou will try to tell me all about it!" Shade groaned, moving his upper back to stretch his body.

"Oh, shit!" Relon matched Shade with a groan of his own. "The others. Specifically the girls. How screwed am I this time?"

"I think you should get used to being on your knees."

Deadpanning at the innuendo, Relon can only sigh. "The only ones I want on their knees is- you know what, nope. Someone may be listening in. Screw you," Relon smiles with a point as they depart down Dreichels Plaza.

"Wait, something's missing…" Shade glanced over at Relon.

"What? Everyone is here somewhere. Helios should be here somewhere too since we didn't end up absorbing Zero like he had planned."

"I know something is missing… Wait, that bitch who's eye I shot out!"

Watching Relon's eyes widen, the elemental hybrid looks around.

"Grimoire! She never showed up during that entire fight! Damn it, I was so focused on Zero I forgot! I could have wished her there so we could deal with her! Damn it!" He groans. "It's her fault my connection with Nameless is still severed! Why didn't I think of fixing that while I was up there?" He huffs in defeat.

"It's too late now, and good chance she's going to wait till I'm gone to show back up, otherwise I'm taking that other eye!"

"Whatever, she'll likely lay low or just head back to our world if she hasn't already. With Mom and Munechika plus Helios, I'm not as worried about her anymore like before. Come on, let's go find the others."

"I'm sure they are waiting for us somewhere, with the crowd we gathered it shouldn't be hard to find them." Shade walks behind Relon, glancing at the ground deep in thought.

"Hm," Relon hums to stop momentarily. "Pippin and Pappan are with the others at Mater Park."

"Lead the way then, I don't know my way around here for many reasons." Shade walked up next to him.

"Wow, it's like one of us actually lived here," Relon jokes to pat Shade's shoulder before taking the lead. "Still, it kinda feels like… Well, like forever since we met here. Maybe it's just me or the fact that we did so much in only a week."

"It was a really long week, you had a lot to deal with, I had a lot to deal with… Everything Drugone said at the end, what he turned that place into or what it means for me. On top of so much that went on in my head, you know not sleeping makes things even longer while you kept passing out every turn!"

"Pfft, my other selves could take that Drugone guy easily. One of me literally became the size of the galaxy itself! And hey! I didn't have a choice in some of those happenstances! I push myself, I knock out! I mentally drain myself, I knock out. And ya know what else?"

"Do I even want to try guessing?" Shade raises an eyebrow.

"Honestly I was gonna give you a chance to give a jab at me. I'm kinda gonna miss your bluntness now that everything is over with. Not gonna miss Magilou and Rinwell going at it, that's for sure…"

"That was starting to grow on me a little, but uh…" Shade steps forward scratching the back of his head. "I may have influenced Rinwell, just a tad…"

"... Shade?" Relon stops to blink in repetition looking at said male. "When or if I get godlike powers like my other selves, I'm going to make it so you get testicular torsion every time you swear." As quick as he said that, he returned to walking.

"Yikes, I know what that looks like as well. Still at least you'll get some of my bluntness to follow you around, plus I'm sure Magilou had a hand in it as well." Shade remarks, walking in pace with the other teen.

"I have enough 'bluntness' back home as is. My 'dad' is enough to start off, Musse-" He stops again to widen. "Musse's alive now… Alfin, even my family!" He inwardly gawks, to lift up to Shade. "Laura's back…!" Despite the joy in his tone, the look he held betrayed every positive emotion possible. "Everyone's back… except Kallen."

"And anyone else that may have died up there, but I was too busy keeping the others on-" Shade eyes widened. "I still feel the last leash, she left the city already but soon she should disappear…" Shade then smiled.

"Who?"

"My version of Laura, but if she is still around then V is as well, least I get to say goodbye to her before she poofs."

"Goodbyes like these aren't normal."

"What isn't in this world at this point? Still, that version of V isn't real, but to me I can at least settle a part of my heart, one regret of many I can put to rest."

"Regret, huh? Living with that emotion isn't good at all, I suppose. Emotions… To think, Zero- my previous self evolved through agony twice only to become Zero. It took taking the life of an alternate Laura just for me to learn it. And you stopped it from fully happening. Honestly, if it means becoming stronger, a part of me doesn't want to experience anything like that again. That's one regret I think I'll be fine with not having."

"Let's hope it stays that way, those guys after you in your world from what I've seen with witch bitch and heard from you, they seem crazy and would do anything. Just like the Dominion I had, which I fully saw how crazy each of them are…"

"I'm glad they helped at least. Even more so that my other selves showed up when they did, otherwise I would have summoned Helios a lot sooner. Maybe I would have summoned my own version of Senate. I just wish I could have spoken to my other selves more…"

"Yeah I'm not even going to ask about all of that, too much of a headache. Still, I have a lot of thinking to do from everything I learned. I'm sure you do as well, right?" Shade crosses his arms as they walk.

"Given I wasn't supposed to learn a lot about the future, yeah. A part of me is still worried about whatever we did here affecting my own world but we'll just have to hope the order I gave protected anything from happening with all the screwing around we did."

"It was mostly you that did the screwing, we still aren't sure why I even ended up here in the first place."

"Well whatever the reason, it was needed. No way Rinwell and I could have fought every single person and Valkyrie and taken down four reactors. You and Magilou helped out. Whether by accident or not."

"...It was mostly me, Magilou was kinda there a lot of the time but in a weird way she kept me going, gave me a drive to the finish line even with all of her nagging."

"She nagged you, You nagged me, I nagged Rinwell, and Rinwell nagged her. The perfect nagging circle, haha."

"If that's what you want to call it, so how close are we to the park?"

"Just around the corner. Get ready to shoot. Actually, there's a shortcut coming up. We can take that." He moves ahead with a serious expression. "I can't wait to relax and go home! Zero's done and over with, so we can finally relax!" He spins in an aloof manner to stretch, smile fainting as fire exploded as he blitzed into the alleyway.

One blast of light followed by another and out Grimoire shot, in clear panic only to notice Shade with his gun casually poised at her. "Are you a dumb bitch?"

"Extract-"

BANG!

Cut off, her arm flails in the air along with her tome as it drops to the ground.

"AHH!" She winces, to place her remaining hand at the wound where her damaged ligament is. "H-How…?" She widens as Relon appears from the alley way.

Looking down, he picks up her arm as she takes a step for another shot to echo.

"ACK!" She winces from the hole in her now leg as she drops to a knee.

Lifting it to toss the tome over at Shade, Relon gestures to the body part for it to catch on fire burning to cinders.

"You…!" Relon speaks, voice empty. "You caused all of this. Including your own downfall. How's it feel Grimoire?" He stops before her to lift her by her collar. "To be the clown of our story?! No tome, no arm, and your malevolence is already becoming mine. You're going to tell me everything!"

"Neat book, think I'll keep it!" Shade holds onto the tome while aiming at her head.

"H-How?!"

"Bitch you think I'd tell you how? My mom is the fucking Azure Abyss! And her son is the Senate Hunter. You think I wouldn't find a way to find you even with your stealth spell?"

"You're… a fool!"

Just then, both snap up to rays of light descending on them.

"EXTRACTION!" Grimoire shouts to vanish in a light.

"SHIT! MOVE!" Turning in Shade's direction, Relon kicks off grabbing the teen as they zoom down Vainqueur Street as the earth rumbles behind them. "SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!"

"RELON!" Vita appears ahead with an extended hand.

With another leap, he jumps as their fingertips touch to vanish.

Rolling against the calm grass, both pant.

"FUCK… THAT… WITCH!" Relon shouts in between pants. "You good?!"

"I mean… I got to shoot her again and stole her book…pretty good I'll say!" Shade slowly sat up.

"Are you okay, Relon?!"

"I'm fine," he gasps powering down. "The training you gave actually worked so that's a plus. Let me see that book for a sec, Shade." Complying he hands it over. "It's all in witch. Mom, think you can translate it for a normal person?"

"That's child's play. I'll do that and more. Just give me some time."

Nodding, they look around to find themselves at the racetrack.

"By the way, how did you know we were in trouble?"

"Helios sensed you activate your transformation and instead of sending your swords to fly your way, why not just warp to you? It helped given the light show in the sky."

"You're a lifesaver."

"It's what mothers are for~. Now then, let's get you to your future wives and friends~."

"Wait, what-" Cut off once again, all three teleport for their vision to shift to a crowd of people turning their way.

In that second, it only took a moment for realization to dawn on the crowd of countless people as cheers and applause roared in repetition.

"RELON!" Looking down as the crowd of people, through it came the girls and Van. One by one, Rinwell, Shizuna, Munechika and Ennea embraces him for Duvalie and Ines to pull Ennea off dramatically.

Shade only tilts his head at the scene as he puts his gun away, confused by how there were more girls now. Magilou standing nearby, also watches but with more amusement than anything

"Hey!"

"You get off of him!"

"What happened?!" Rinwell exclaims. "One moment everyone is rooting and the next Vita is warping off and we're hearing explosions in the distance.

"Grimoire, that's what. Finally pulled out a quick win against her though." He gestures to the tome.

"That's…!"

"Yes it is." Vita nods, holding it "Full of who knows what that will help Relon and you down the line."

"So then we're finally good now?"

"Unless she's dumb enough to try something, I think we're good. Our ticket home is in Eryn so we're ready to go whenever."

"FINALLY!" Rinwell groans, her legs giving out as Relon catches her. "It's over!"

"Relon…" Looking to Munechika, teary-eyed, worry takes the forefronts as he moves to wipe her tears. "Thank you…! Thank you!"

"Hey, we all did it together! This is a team win, Munechika! Wait…"

"What is it?"

"I made everyone killed by Zero return to life… That means…!"

"Ikaruga! Kurogane!" Shizuna and Van exclaim.

"The Hexen Clan!" Munechika and Rinwell equally shout.

"God I feel slow right now…" Relon breathes out noting of the Stahlritter and Arianrhod.

Eyes going to Duvalie shuffle in place, a smile graces his features. Placing his hands in his pocket, he approaches. Noticing him, she averts her gaze for him to pop into her view to the amusement of the three.

"Hey there, Dubarry~," he teases.

"It's Duvalie!" She barks.

"There you are. That attitude fits you better," he grins, finding the slight flush to be both endearing and adorable.

"Duvalie, just admit you want a hug from Relon!" Ennea groans pushing the girl against Relon only for her to jerk back.

"He gives great hugs if it helps!" Shizuna pops from behind Relon with a happy smile.

"It's true! He gets it from me by the way~." Vita adds, appearing on his other side pushing Relon towards her.

"H-Hey!"

"Duvalie, stop being a tsun tsun and hug the man!"

"It would do us much relief if you just did it. Everyone is offering," Ines sighs.

"Duvalie~," Arianrhod hums with a knowing smirk.

"See? Even our Lord wants to see you happy."

"B-But!"

"Can you two chill out?" Relon deadpans. "My hugs aren't all that."

"Have you hugged yourself before?"

"Not 'hugged' per say but wrapped myself yeah."

"Not the same," every female around him say in unison to his slight surprise.

"Grrrrr FINE! Lucinance!"

"Y-Yeah?"

Face scrunching, she outstretches her arms.

"Do with me what you will!"

"WOW, you could have said literally anything but that and it would have been more not normal." Ennea facepalms.

"God this is so awkward," Relon sighs. "Duvalie, just come here." He forces out a chuckle.

Stepping forward like a machine, he impatiently pulls. With a yelp, she just leans in before her eyes blink at the odd comfort before she leans in losing the stiffness.

"Note to self: Relon's hugs are magical…" Vita notes jotting said reveal down with a pen.

As soon as she had, Duvalie's eyes opened to push Relon away.

"AHEM! THERE, NOW WE SHALL NEVER SPEAK OF THIS INTERACTION AGAIN!"

"Haha, fine. Hey Shade-"

"Sup, Shade…" Looking up from all the interactions, Shade sees V walking up with a glow around her.

"Almost time huh?" Shade stood up fully as V now stood in front of him.

"Did you get taller?" V reaches out for her hand to vanish. "Oh, damn it! Guess I can't even see how tall you got, I didn't even show off in that fight!"

"You did enough V, I hope one day I meet you again, even if it's another version of you…" Shade starts to reach out, only to stop. A content smile on his face.

"Same, anyway, peace!" She fades to white as Shade lets out a sigh. On the edges of the city another figure fades away.

"Later…" Shade lowers his arm looks over at the others.

"Now before you all leave, time for revenge!" Nadia yells out, seeing this as the perfect time, grabbing hold of Magilou and pushing her up where everyone could see her, with Swin's help.

"HEY, WHAT TH-" Nadia hands Magilou a microphone as Swin puts down some small speakers.

"We had these prepared since you forced us on cooking duty, for making me help you sow, for being so dang annoying! To celebrate you will sing for us!" Nadia and Swin steps back, ready to control the music, Nadia had a evil glint in her eyes as Swin just sighed and went along.

"The hell is going on?" Relon blinks.

"She's going to sing I guess? She kinda deserves this punishment…" Shade said, standing next to Relon as they watch Magilou start looking for ways out.

"Hey! NO, I WILL NOT…!" Looking at everyone she lands on a smug Rinwell.

"Come on Granny, can't sing?" That made Magilou stop, glare at the girl before finally staying still.

"Fine, FINE! I'll play the only song I know by heart, Nadia play some soft sad music or whatever you got!"

"Heh, you got it~!" Slowly the music starts to come in as Magilou lets out a sigh.

"You're standing, at a loss… In front of a door, that's been closed for so long~ With your foreseeing eyes, what do you see?" Magilou looks down, seemingly gathering the will to go on.

"Until you open it, you cannot know~ Afraid to see, what could be on the other side. Oh can't you see how much I feel the same? As you? It seems, we just need to let it all, go free…"

Magilou looks up at everyone listening, seeing them as the music plays. "I've seen that look before, the stare of your fearful-looking eyes. That quiet voice inside, what do you hear?" She steps forward with a prideful look. "Will you give up and stay where you belong? Afraid your time, it just might take too long? And you won't know, unless we keep on trying… Now we need the strength to carry on!" She bellows out for a few seconds, letting the music take it away.

"My promises might not be heard! And it doesn't matter, if we fail! But if, there is a future. That's where we'll set our sights, from on shores back…" She smiles at Shade. "We'll walk hand in hand, just the two of us~ Even if, you've got no guidance. I will always be here, right beside you. Even if, you've lost your way~" She falters for a moment, then it's like her expression changes.

"We will walk this path together, for our future awaits…" She sighs as she lowers the mic. Before looking up one last time. "I see you by the door, so just walk through, don't take too long. 'Cuz everything you've said, you'll find it there~ In our future…" Magilou was quiet, everyone was quiet as the music stopped.

"The fuck?" Rinwell blinks. "She actually killed it!"

"For once, I'm in agreement with your foul language."

Shade started clapping, a smile on his face. "Nice job, Magilou!"

As more people cheered, Magilou tossed the mic back to Nadia before walking away with almost no expression on her face.

"Uh, was it a success?" Nadia looked over at Swin who shrugged.

"Shade…" Sensing him coming, Shade looked over to see Vergil walking towards him, not far behind him was Tio comforting Alex.

"She's still gone…?" Shade simply asked only to receive a nod back.

"Huh? Oh, your mom…" Rinwell started, before realizing she had a message for Shade from her. "Shade, before Angela went away. She gave me a message for you, 'Your mother loved you until the very end…'"

Shade smiled, for the first time everyone saw him shed a tear. "I know and…I feel the same."

"Shade… We got some pretty great moms, huh?"

"That we do, both are pretty badass!" Shade patted Relon on the back.

That's when everyone saw the pulse of a purple light come from inside the Crystal Gardens. "Wait…" Shade pulled away as he and Magilou shared a knowing look.

"Helios…?" One grunt from the dragon in the background told it wasn't his doing. "Shade…?"

"Guess I won't need that portal after all, inside that place is our way home…" Shade sighed, turning to face Relon. "Hey, you still got that power, yeah?"

"Power? If you're referring to Neutralyx, afraid I lost that when we got back to Earth. But knowing my luck, the Relonverse will give it to me again before too long," Relon chuckles.

"So, good chance we might not see each other for a long time." Shade sighed, crossing his arms.

"Oh. Then this is it." With a heavy breath, Relon offers a hand. "Dap me up for the long journey, partner."

"I think we both need the luck from it!" Shade daps him up, pulling him into a hug. "You're lucky, I don't hug many people."

"Let's hope my 'luck' doesn't work on guys."

"Sorry, can't have a half demon boyfriend, but it does sound like a good novel!"

"EW!"

"HE IS GOING TO BE TAKEN IN THE FUTURE ANYWAY!" Shizuna shouts.

"Atta girl! Claim our man!" Ennea roots to be pulled away.

"Dear Luna," Relon facepalms.

"Rinwell, think I would leave without hugging you goodbye?" Shade pulls away from Relon and opens his arms.

"Hehe, better not! Thanks for everything, Shade. Really."

"Hoot!"

The two embrace, Shade held her tight, patting her back before letting go. Magilou walked up next to Shade and looked right at Rinwell.

"Rinwell, Hootle… Stay safe, out there…" Magilou looked away as she extended a fist towards Rinwell.

"Nah." Rinwell grins, lunging to hug Magilou. "Take care, you old coot~!"

"I didn't ask for a hug!" Magilou waited a moment before pulling herself away. "Sheesh!" Magilou walks behind Shade.

"I feel like I don't have much time to say goodbye to everyone, Renne, Loewe, Nadia, Swin. Stay safe, Van you better keep your word! Elaine, make Van keep his word! Shizuna…sorry for what I did in my world." Shade landed on her, waiting for a response.

"I'm expecting you to make it up. Somehow, someway. So take care… until you do." She gave a simple smile.

"As expected of my number two… Munechika, you're up last."

"Shade, do take care of yourself. Not for just my sake or everyone's but to help ease Celine's own. I know that's what she would want. As it is what I do."

"I will, this world taught me a lot and helped me. The people included, I won't forget you or any of you!" Shade smiles at Munechika then at everyone else.

"That pulsing is getting faster, Shade, we don't have much time." Magilou says.

"Here!" Vita calls tossing the tome. "Consider it a safety measure against Senate. "Can't have a powerful tome like that going back with you, now can we?" She winks at Relon.

"But Mom-"

"Don't worry, I've already extracted the text."

"When did you-"

"While Magilou was giving that stellar performance. I recorded it using magic by the way for anyone that wants a copy. Ooh Shade dear, I made it a spell that you can use to replay for you on page 70!"

"WHAT THE HELL!" Magilou yelled out, now trying to grab the tome but failing.

"AUNTIE VITA YOU ARE THE BEST!" Rinwell shouts jumping in glee.

"Anyway…" Shade held it away from Magilou. "I did say I would take it earlier, I'm sure it will come in handy! Thanks, I'll keep it safe!"

"Guess this is it. Be careful touching artifacts. Otherwise you may end up meeting another me."

Shade glanced at Magilou at that line. "I'm sure we will!" Shade and Magilou step away from each other and walk closer to the door. "Relon, one last thing."

"Say away."

"The future may be dark, may seem like an endless night and a brutal hell… But, those around you are the light, so if anyone tries to take that light, give them true hell!" Shade turned to look at Relon.

"Heh. I'll beat them, send them to hell, bring them back, beat them some more, and send them to you with a note to send them to hell."

"Add a sticker if they try anything on Rinwell, I'll give them a warm welcome~"

"I will. Take care."

Shade turns back around to open the door, the pulsing of the artifact grows quicker. "See you guys, later!" The light engulfed them, taking them away.

---

After a long time this collab with Shinn is over, it went on far longer than we had thought. Not much to say aside from… See you in the next one!