-----Veda Lexine took to the rooftops of Zel’Myas, leaping from building to building through the massive Marauder city. Her intent was unknown to Tim, and it was her own in either case. He only knew that she sought to liberate the city from the Marauders, but that was not his concern at the moment. They had helped each other only out of mutual destination, and now it was time for them go their separate ways. Releasing his comrades and helping them complete their mission was his goal, and he wasn’t about to let the Marauders stand in his way.
-----Telissa pressed her rifle against her shoulder as a tremendous blast took down the door to their prison cell. “We’re going to fight our way out! The Marauder forces have already marched into the sewers as well as the streets by now.”
-----“We can’t afford to stay and fight all of them,” Uberman responded. “We should head for the west entrance and escape quickly as possible. Avoid battles whenever you can.”
-----“Agreed,” Captain Khazan said. “But it seems that we are already pinned down. We might find ourselves overwhelmed in Marauder scum before too long.”
-----Yagami turned to face the far wall and placed his palm gently upon the surface. What was once solid metal was suddenly transfigured into a mound of ice and snow as clear as a mirror. Cracks began to fill the wall as the ice fell apart piece by piece, finally shattering like fragile glass. “We can get to the exit through here,” he said.
-----“Fine with me!” Tanin yelled, swinging Chrysilium through the air. “Those Marauders will be sorry they took us in and left us alive.”
-----Uberman took the lead, flying out into a city street that he found densely populated by innumerous Marauders. The sound of gunfire shook the air as Uberman felt beam rifle fire strike against his suit. The SLJ leader was knocked to the ground, overcome by a nearly endless sea of death shots.
-----“What a nuisance!” Vincentzo said, taking cover behind what little of the wall was left. “Woose, get out there and do what you do best! Distract them!”
-----Ignoring the intended insult of Maiinverno’s comment, POWAAA!!!-Man jumped into combat on his own. Most of the blasts seemingly passed just inches away from his skin in an ungodly example of blind luck. The Avatar of bumbling idiots moved into the line of enemies and took two Marauders down with swift kicks to the nose. The odor from his foot was said to be enough to pollute all the water of Khazan in a instant, a fact which was soon proven as Marauder guards fell one by one at his presence.
-----“Of all the darn luck,” Vincentzo said. “Oh well. There are six more at the end of the street over there. I say just make a run for it and tear through them!”
-----“I’m all for that,” Cortelloni responded. The ex-criminal began to lift the giant chunks of ice off the ground, sparing no shard of the broken wall. The shards took flight at the ex-ragemaster’s will, piercing the Marauder guards like bullets while others quickly retreated from the barrage.
-----“Now!” Uberman screamed, activating his jet boots and flying down the alley and paying little attention to what the Marauder guards were doing. He forced his way through the wall of defenders and was immediately followed by Captain Khazan
-----“C’mon, we don’t want to fall behind,” Tanin smirked as he took the remaining guards down with his sword.
-----As the heroes left the building they found dozens of lights flashing in their faces. Alarms were sounding across the city, and the night sky of Zel’Mier was littered with Marauder followers who patrolled the air like vultures waiting for their prey.
-----“This is going to be messy,” Tim said sternly, narrowly blocking an aerial blast with his sword.
-----“For thieves they’re pretty damn organized.” Raea commented. A shower of gun fire splashed against the ground around them, forcing the heroes to take cover behind parked vehicles and crafts on the sides of the vast city streets. Street lights were shattered and the pavement ripped apart as the Marauders continued their onslaught.
-----Uberman made an attempt to reach higher ground, but found himself the target of hidden snipers and flying Marauders who seemed to focus on keeping his team on the ground. “They’re pinning us down! Damn!”
-----Telissa covered her head as bullets rattled the car she sat behind; the broken pieces of glass falling from the sky like rain. As the gunfire came to a sudden stop, she promptly turned fired her rifle at any target that moved. She found that Marauder troops were dropping from the sky and littering the ground like insects. It would only be a matter of seconds until they would be swarmed. Still, the variety of targets made it simple for her to find a pick-off the enemy. In the end, however, it would not be enough.
-----“We won’t get out at this rate,” Vincentzo concluded as he waved his hand towards the enemy. Their weapons began to suddenly burst into flames and engulfed the soldiers that held them. “Well Uberman, don’t you have some kind of plan for this?”
-----“Getting stuck in the middle of Zel’Myas was never a part of our plan!” Uberman yelled back.
-----Amidst the shouting and the terrifying sounds of explosions and crumbling walls, Tim tried to focus on the situation at hand. The sounds that surrounded him all blended together into some tumultuous jargon that clouded his thoughts. The advancing Marauder troops appeared as a black cloud that was steadily approaching, and what was beyond he did not know. His focus suddenly shifted as he heard a familiar voice cry out in pain.
-----Raea fell to the pavement grasping her right shoulder in agony. At that moment, everything else seemed to fade in Tim’s vision. Every other sound and image was ignored as he unconsciously threw himself towards Raea. Telissa managed to get to her first, immediately applying a cloth tightly around her arm. Blood was quickly running down her arm even in that moment, but she managed to pull through the pain and pull herself into a sitting position.
-----“Raea, what are you doing!? Stay down, you’re hurt!” Tim yelled, panting as his mind suddenly wandered back into reality.
-----“I’m fine, don’t worry about me,” she replied, forcing a smile through the pain. “Look out for yourself now or you’ll end up a lot worse than I am.”
-----Tim heard a loud click and lifted his head to see Telissa throw a grenade into a crowd of Marauders. As the explosion rang through their ears she barely kneeled in time to avoid the counter attack.
-----“That’s it! I’ve had it with this!” Tim screamed. He felt his thoughts leave his mind as he instinctively raised his sword and charged into the mob of thieves. He had felt this way before, just moments before in Khazan. Indeed, he had never quite been the same since that incident, but he recognized this sensation. He felt exactly as he did in the alleys of Khazan city. His vision became distorted, almost blurred, and yet somehow he maintained a greater sense of vision and understanding than anyone could. He barely even noticed the fire of beam cannons splashing against his sword’s force field as he approached. Could this really be happening? Was everything just a dream...a fantasy.
-----Yet deep in his heart there was a sense of danger. A sensation, a feeling of imminent need. What he was feeling was real, and at the same time he heard a strange voice echo in the deepest regions of his mind. No, it was more than one voice, there were many, and they were saying many things. He heard them, yet could not make any sense of the mumbling voices and quiet words. Still, his body moved in rhythm...a rhythm that he did not comprehend or remember, yet he performed it as if he were a master.
-----Whether his speed had been increased or if everyone else had been slowed he did not know, but he could barely take notice of the Marauders that he was taking down. His sword cut through them as it did the air, and he stepped through their lines as a man walks over insects.
-----Uberman and Captain Khazan watched in astonishment as the brilliant blue light of Tim’s sword carved its way through the Marauders. A single swing let loose a wave of energy that carried the Marauders into the air and plunged them back into the ground.
-----Vincentzo himself was mildly impressed by the young man’s antics. “Who is this man, and what does he think he’s doing by charging in blindly like that!”
-----“Although I normally don’t condone such tactics,” Yagami said, “in this case whatever he’s doing is working.”
-----Tanin suddenly charged into battle with a smile on his face. “That guy has the right idea in any case. Ok, lets fight our way out of here!”
-----Cortelloni raised one of the damaged cars into the air and flung it against a party of screaming soldiers who had been distracted by Tanin’s unexpected charge. “I’ll be damned if I let myself be killed in some forsaken alley by these people.”
-----As all of the heroes launched into battle with no regrets, Telissa took the opportunity to carry Raea out of the danger zone. She only walked a few feet before a huge impact shook the ground in front of her. There was a terrible rumbling sound that filled the air...an object approaching from the distance. As the smoke cleared, a gaping hole remained where the street had once been. Telissa staggered back at the sight of the crater, then gazed down the street to see the origin of attack.
-----All at once the Marauders that filled the streets stopped their attack. There was a mutual gasp among the crowd as they began to scatter wildly like a panicked herd. They disappeared from the Zel’Myas streets as quickly as they had arrived, leaving the heroes alone to face their new adversary.
-----Uberman saw the advancing tank, a monstrous vehicle and a product of organized crime no doubt. He didn’t know what was so special about one tank, but whatever it was, it was enough to scare the other Marauders off.

-----The Unsubtle snickered as she aimed the Vitamin T’s cannon at the stunned group of intruders.
-----“Wonderful, they’re all lined up for me. How convenient,” the Marauder said. The Vitamin T was her new, perfect weapon. No longer would her opponents face a gun crazy woman with an assault rifle. No, now they would face a gun crazy woman with a tank, and a big one at that.
-----The Unsubtle recognized Captain Khazan among the ranks of the intruders. The hero had been a pain in her side for quite some time, interrupting whenever she tried to steal anything in the Karia valley, but now it was her time. “Well Captain, the tables have turned eh? We’ll see if your snazzy armor can take a healthy dose of Vitamin T!”
-----The next shot came off with a bang, creating a shockwave so powerful it nearly knocked the heroes off their feet. The group spread out in different directions as the tank shell impacted in the center of the street. The massive explosion tackled Captain Khazan to the ground and sent Yagami Shinsuke through a phone booth.
-----Uberman quickly retaliated, but his concussion blasters did little to the Tanks layered armor. “We have to surround it. We’re in no position to take it down if we’re all in its sights. Tanin...Captain, get behind that Tank! We’ll attack in from the front!”
-----Despite the ominous presence of the Tank, Uberman noticed a shadow quickly pass over his head, followed by a swift gust of wind. Looking to the sky, Uberman saw Gabriel Daemonchild dive through the air and strike. The hero was nearly crushed by Daemonchild’s massive blade, but instead he darted to the side and blasted himself into the air.
-----Gabriel sword sliced itself deep within the pavement of the street, but the demonic Marauder never hesitated to pull it out and continue his assault. “I’m afraid we can’t have the SLJ wandering around in Marauder territory. If the Vitamin T doesn’t get you, I will!”
-----Daemonchild took to the air just as Tim moved to strike at him with his sword. As he followed the demons movements in the air, a feeling of dread overcame him, a sudden feeling that another great evil was approaching. His intuition told him to turn around, where he came face to face with Klart the Firebane. Tim blocked Klarts first strike with a kneeling parry, then stepped back as the Marauder moved forward and viscously attacked as if he were in a barbarian rage.
-----Surprised by Klart’s strength, Tim readied himself for his next advance, but was surprised to see Tanin land in front of him.
-----“Stay out of this one,” Tanin said, smirking. “This guy’s mine.”
-----“Fine,” Tim replied. “I’ll try to take out the tank.”
-----“You go do that,” Tanin said, changing his focus to Klart. “Now, we’ll see just how good you are without the element of surprise on your side. You don’t have your little wizard friend to stiff my senses this time do you.”
-----“I don’t need Morlos to take you down,” Klart said angrily, clenching his fist around his sword hilt. “Avatar of Light or no, I don’t care.”
-----The next shot from the Vitamin T seemed to shake the entire city, and the Unsubtle’s cocky laughter could be heard from outside the massive tank. Maiinverno pushed his way through the thick smoke of the blast and launched a fireball at the Marauder vehicle, yet even magical attacks couldn’t scratch its armor.
-----“Don’t worry Centzo,” POWAAA-Man said, running towards the Vitamin T with no fear. “I’ll take care of that tank for you.”
-----“Woose, no, Hey! Stop it you moron you’ll be killed, “Vincentzo said, but it was too late. POWAAA-Man had a one-track mind now, and his only goal was the destruction of the tank that impeded their escape.
-----The Unsubtle’s next shot appeared to hit the so-called martial artist directly, and for an instant both Tim and Maiinverno were certain that Woose was dead. Yet by some strange twist of fate the man came running out of the cloud of dust with little more than a few cuts and bruises.
-----“What the...” the Unsubtle said as POWAAA-Man took to the air and prepared to give the Vitamin T a good kick. Perhaps the toxic nature of his feet would work as an uncanny acid against the otherwise impervious plating of the tank.
-----As his flying body steadily approached the Vitamin T, a dark figure abruptly jumped on top of the tank and then lunged down at POWAAA-Man at blinding speed. Finding himself tackled to the ground, he quickly jumped to his feet and spun around to locate his attacker. Now standing behind him was a tall, muscular man clad in what appeared to be the costume of an authentic ninja. An assassin no doubt, but this one wore the symbol of the Marauders on his chest.
-----Cortelloni, meanwhile, had been sending telekinetic waves towards the tank in an attempt to detonate the barrage of cannon fire in mid-air. Any shots he failed to intercept were blocked by Shirai Natsumi’s curious invincible ferret.
-----Shirai’s other Sikigami’s began to stir frantically in response to something behind the young girl, who turned and screamed to find another Marauder in their presence.
-----Cortelloni looked behind over his shoulder and saw the deep scar across the man’s chest. A fresh wound that Michael instantly recognized. “So, are you acting on orders Razor, or did you come looking for me personally.”
-----Razor smiled as he swung his hook and chain through the air. “I could ask you a similar question. Did you come to free the city alongside the SLJ? Or did you come here looking for me. As good as I know you, I’d be thoroughly surprised if it was the former.”
-----While Telissa and Raea made an attempt to avoid the combat around them, Tim rushed forward to attack the tank, going first for the Vitamin T’s treads. As he approached with his eye on the target, a dark figure emerged from the shadow of the giant craft. Tim stopped in his tracks at the sight of the dark wizard Morlos. His sword began to glow in response to his presence...a specific glow of energy that he had only seen once before. Somehow, this Marauder was different. His presence was different to Tim somehow. He wasn’t quite sure how he knew, but Morlos was something else, something other than just a Marauder. The Hunter-Killers he fought in the Khazan streets were related to him somehow.
-----Morlos stared at Tim’s glowing sword and stepped back in disgust of the light it gave off. It was familiar to him somehow, that blade and its unearthly glow. He had seen it before, yet not on this world. “A remarkable sword for such a young warrior. I wonder....but that would be impossible. And yet, that energy does seem familiar. hmmm...interesting, I will have to test you my boy.”

-----Izohn heard the massive explosions in the distance and smiled in delight. The escaped captives wouldn't get far now. Still, the SLJ would likely react to this incident, and Zel'Myas was not a place that Izohn wanted to be when that happened. Perhaps Toc had been wise to shift his position throughout the State-Kingdom.
-----The Marauder leader pushed his way through crowds of Marauder thieves who were rushing in to observe the combat, occasionally throwing some to the ground if it made his journey that much easier. He was not concerned with the battle any more, but his own safety. He had not joined the Marauders to become a simple thief. He needed them to formulate a reputation for himself, and the pillage and conquest of Zel'Mier was perhaps the best way of doing so. He had come too far to be captured now, and he wouldn't stay and fight just to fulfill some sort of Marauder pride.
-----Izohn reached into his right pocket and pulled out his communicator. The old device gave out a hiss of static as he turned it on and placed it to his ear. "Is the craft ready yet? Good, bring it over as soon as possible, I want to get out of here now. No I will not come to the launch bay! Bring the craft to the Delagaon Plaza, I'm not far from there at the moment." He turned off the communicator and threw the device behind him with little or no care for it. He was starting to grow frustrated with the efficiency of his men.
-----There was an uneasy feeling settling in the Marauder leader, a feeling of being watched. The city streets had suddenly become quiet as all the Marauder soldiers had left by this time. As he walked down the streets of Zel'Myas, only the sound of a gentle breeze passing through the night sky and that of the fierce combat could be heard. He heard another impact and a shot from the Vitamin T's gun, though by now it was deafening as he strayed farther and farther from the battle.
-----He had a strong track record of escaping death by trusting his feelings, and now he sensed a threat nearby. One of the heroes, it seems, had followed him instead of helping his friends fight. Izohn stopped in his tracks, the plaza in his sights already. Above him he saw what appeared to be a woman holding a sword, a cold look upon her face as she stared down upon him from the rooftops.
-----Having realized that she had been discovered, the woman jumped down mere meters away from the Marauder and stared him down. She slowly raised her sword up until its blade rested between her eyes, her vision locked onto Izohn.
-----"So, you chose to follow me instead of helping your friends?" Izohn inquired. "You must have something against me personally if you wanted to do that. Or are you just some vigilante and I just happen to be in your way?"
-----"I act on my own Marauder fiend," she replied. "Their quarrel with you is of their own design, but I have something to settle with the Marauders as well."
-----"Ah, I have heard of you I think," Izohn said, his hands placed calmly behind his back. "Veda Lexine is it? I had heard of a woman with a sword defending the townspeople in the Karia valley from our Marauder...tax collectors."
-----Veda remained with her gaze set on the Marauder. She could not tell what his emotions were, for the mask hid his expressions. "And you are Izohn Falaris, someone who I've heard a great deal about."
-----"You know of me, well I'm honored to be known among the ranks of a Maniacal hero such as yourself."
-----"You can stop indulging yourself thief. You've controlled a large portion of this occupation force in Zel'Myas, but it ends now."
-----"Oh, you think to avenge everyone by taking me out? Will my death make everything better?"
-----"You aren't the only one who deserves to die for these atrocities. Where is Toc Darkone?" Veda asked.
-----Izohn raised his right arm into the air, and for an instant Veda thought she could see a slight grin through that pale mask of his. Strobes of energy gathered into his palm and spread itself out into the form of a whip. At its end, a blade of energy as dark as the sky. "If you want Toc I'm afraid you've missed him. But don't worry, I'll be sure to tell him that you were interested in meeting him."
-----The whip gave off a ghostly gleam as Izohn thrust it forward. Veda jumped back as the whip struck the ground below. There was a large, blinding explosion that passed by in an instant, followed by a shockwave that pushed Veda back as she landed.
-----The Marauder laughed as the large crater came into Veda's view. It seemed as if the energy of the whip was still working at the ground, eating away at the very fabric of its existence.
-----"An interesting trick," Veda said. "But we'll see if you take as much as you dish out!" Veda lunged forward and nimbly side-stepped to avoid the next attack.
-----"Die!" Izohn screamed as Veda approached, swinging the whip in a horizontal strafe. Veda saw his counter and dived to the ground, continuing her advance as she rolled across the pavement and suddenly sprung up mere inches from the Marauder.
-----Stunned, Izohn staggered back as Veda's first strike slashed across his mask. Sparks flew across his expressionless face plate as the sword left it. The nimble hero changed her advance and came from the side this time, striking again with her sword. This time, however, the Marauder anticipated her moves and swiftly moved away from her attacks, often avoiding the sword my inches at a time.
-----Veda thrust the blade out towards the Marauder's chest, but Izohn was quick to intercept her sword with his gleaming whip. Weary of the whips power, Veda leapt into the air and once again landed on the rooftops.
-----"Giving up so soon my dear?" Izohn inquired.
-----"Hardly," Veda retorted. "You may be stronger than I had thought, but I'm not exactly unprepared for this. I will defeat you, and Toc as well if I have to."
-----"Bold words from a single super hero," Izohn laughed.

-----Relinqiest watched the battle from deep within the confines of Drekis’ hive fortress. Even from within the darkest regions of the Endless Caves the Drekis General’s arcane eyes could traverse the land, peering at places of interest. The battle had been most interesting, especially following the sudden appearance of the other Marauders. This band of heroes, the ones engaged in mortal combat, were the ones who had made a vain attempt to breach Drekis’ lair.
-----Perhaps, Relinqiest thought to himself, the fools had actually intended to assassinate Drekis himself. Such only proved their ignorance of the sheer size of their forces. The lower minions, compared to these brave heroes, were nothing short of cannon fodder, but they outnumbered them by far. Still, the people of Khazan as a whole were a true threat to their empire, and the dark general could not stand to have their base of operation discovered at such a dire time.
-----The wizard smiled as he began to assess the individual battles that had broken off from the main conflict. The one called Uberman, the one who led the Sentinels of Liberty and Justice, seemed to live up to his grand reputation and he flew around the Marauder known as Gabriel Daemonchild. The Marauder was forced into a perpetual defense, blocking the shots from Uberman’s wrist cannons with his sword. Relinqiest took note of Uberman’s general skill as the SLJ leader aptly dodged Gabriel’s swing with a graceful flight and struck the Marauder in the back of his head with a swift kick.
-----Michael Cortelloni and the one called Razor had taken their battle to another part of the city. The mentalist had thrown Razor through numerous buildings with sheer will, yet the Marauder came back for more and gave his opponent a little more than a hard time. These Khazanians, good or bad, were turning out to be quite persistent. Whether it was due to illogical stubbornness or general fortitude Relinqiest did not know, but it was persistence nonetheless, and he hated it.
-----Of great interest to the Drekis empire was the one that he recognized as Tanin, the legendary Dragoon T. Klart the Firebane was proving to be a source of agitation for the avatar of light, who seemed to best Klart at every aspect of sword combat and yet could not put the Marauder down for the count.
-----He tired of their sword fight and soon found his way to the rather enjoyable Unsubtle, still managing her Vitamin T. The Seeker who had landed on Khazan was making futile attempts to damage the tank with some sort of Rifle, and in the distance he could see two additional figures dueling behind the tank.
-----Then there was the mysterious boy with the glowing blade. Morlos was definitely interested in him for some reason, and quite frankly even Relinqiest was stirred by the appearance of that blade. It was not its look, for many worlds, let alone Khazan, had swords that emanated light and energy. No, it was not the look, but the feel of the blade. Even from miles away it invoked a feeling he could not yet understand.
-----The wizard cursed as two other heroes came into view. Captain Khazan and Vincentzo Maiinverno he learned. They were apparently motioning for the young boy to deal with something else. A pity indeed, for the general may have been able to discover more about the fighter if he had seen him fight.
-----A sensation of fatigue overwhelmed him suddenly. The act of extending his gaze across the vast world of Khazan was quickly draining his power. He stopped suddenly and placed his hand on the wall for support. He panted heavily and wiped the sweat from his face, though it was not long before he regained his usual smile across his face.
-----A Shadow-Priest entered the vast, dimly lit chamber and bowed appropriately to the Drekis commandant. “Relinqiest, sir, what orders do you have regarding Zel’Mier?”
-----“The battle still rages on,” Relinqiest responded, taking his staff into hand. “But I have looked deeply into the heart of the conflict. The Marauders there are strong, but I’m afraid the heroes there are stronger. I am almost completely sure that they will win.”
-----“If that is the case my lord, what shall we do?” The shadow-priest asked.
-----Relinqiest grinned. “The only city in Zel’Mier we need worry about at this time is the capital. If the heroes escape as I think they will, they pose a threat to us. Drekis will not stand for his base being discovered so early, you understand? Ready my forces, it seems that we will be going into action.”
-----“My lord?” the Shadow-Priest said inquisitively.
-----“We have little recourse. Zel’Myas must fall.”

-----Even with his eyes closed and his body trapped under glass and rubble, Yagami heard and felt the sounds of battle around him. Each blast from the Vitamin T’s cannon was like a glimpse of hell to him, and the screams of bloody combat echoed in what had once been a beautiful city.
-----The maniacal laughter of the Unsubtle was the first thing he heard upon opening his eyes, finding himself buried under the debris of the store he had fallen into. The glass that covered him like swarming insects was suddenly shook off as another impact struck quite close to him. In the corner of his eye he saw Uberman land amidst the smoke and wreckage, only to take off like a startled bird as Gabriel Daemonchild came forward with an relentless attack.
-----Yagami pushed the remaining rubble off of his body and stood, though he was still barely capable of maintaining a good visual depiction of the battlefield. His head ached from his previous injury, yet it appeared that he had received no fatal wounds. Slowly his vision returned to him, the form of the Vitamin T was clear to Shinsuke now.
-----The most recent explosion had knocked Telissa Ravan unconscious, but Raea was once again standing. With weapons ready she began to fire at the massive vehicle with all of her heart, yet her assault weapons barely graced the outer armor of the Unsubtle’s new weapon.
-----"That thing’s too dangerous at this range, we need to get in closer!” Raea yelled above the tumultuous sounds of explosions.
-----Tim covered his head as another impact caused a rain of dust and shrapnel to fall into his hair. “I agree whole-heartedly, but how exactly.”
-----“You approach it from the right,” Raea said as her jetpack growled with power. “I’ll take it from the air.”
-----The Unsubtle watched as her two targets split up. “What? Running away all ready? Or perhaps we’re trying something new.” The red head who had been firing at her tank in a futile fashion for the last few minutes had disappeared from her view, but the impromptu sound of footsteps on her tanks roof was all she needed to know to find her enemy. “Oh, nice move. But I’m afraid that won’t help you.”
-----With a touch of a button the Vitamin T was enveloped in a current of electricity, its power surging through Raea’s body. Searing pain attacked her figure like a heart attack, and the components of her suit began to overload and break apart violently.
-----Tim broke into a rage as he saw Raea fall to the ground, unconscious, or worse. He ran towards the tank in a bloodlust, his only thought of destroying the tank. But even as he drew closer to his destination he could see the treads of the tank begin to crank and move. The tank abruptly turned and its artillery twisted around like an owls neck, bringing its cannon to face the charging swordsman.
-----Time seemed to stop at that fragile moment, and yet Tim’s feeling seemed so ephemeral as to make him feel empty. He could almost hear the shattering boom of the tank’s main gun before it even fired, but the blast never came. Even as he heard what he thought to be the Unsubtle’s gritting teeth, a burst of cold came over the vehicle. Its treads froze and cracked, throwing the tank into an unbalanced frenzy of movement.
-----“What the hell have you done to my Tank!” The Unsubtle yelled, desperately trying to regain control of the tank.
-----Tim never stopped his charge, but took notice of Yagami Shinsuke’s attacks. Tim carved his blade into the side of the Unsubtle’s tank, creating a large gash in the Vitamin T, though even with such power Tim still felt the electrical current shock him to the ground.
-----The Vitamin T’s cannon fired again and again, its shots aimlessly destroying buildings and sending onlookers into a panic. As Marauders began to evacuate the location like a panicked herd of animals, Yagami sent another freeze beam out, this time directed at the ground beneath the Vitamin T. The Tank slid across the now slippery surface of the street, but before long its immense weight pulled the vehicle under. With only one tread active, the Unsubtle found her precious Vitamin T trapped in a large pit beneath the pavement.
-----Yagami nodded for Tim to attend to Raea, then looked elsewhere. Even as Tim rushed to Raea’s aid it was obvious that battle was not yet over.
-----Gabriel swung his sword in an effort to decapitate of the leader of the Sentinels, but Uberman gracefully came around and landed a kick to his enemies face. Gabriel twirled around and fell back as if in a drunken stupor, but he soon regained his composer and came at Uberman with no fear or caution. The Demon’s sword screeched itself across the surface of Uberman’s forearm in a show of sparks...a feeling of pain ran across the hero as the blade nearly cut into his skin.
-----Uberman defended another relentless pair of attacks with his arms, but was caught off guard as Gabriel’s hand reached out and grabbed his face. His teeth began to grind as fire scolded his face and burned his mechanized armor. The two combatants mutually took to the air, Gabriel’s hand still pressed to Uberman’s face like a burning iron. He could feel the Marauder’s grip tightening, and suddenly he felt his entire weight plunge down as the arm that held him forced him through a solid brick wall.
-----Landing on his back amidst the crumbling structure of the wall, Uberman motioned himself into a backwards roll and came to his feet. Gabriel was swooping down in a graceful arc, his sword ready to plunge through the hero’s heart. The Marauder came so close that for a moment Uberman could have sworn he could see the exact form of the demon from within Gabriel’s eyes, and it was at that moment that he moved towards the Marauder with equal persistence.
-----Whether the Marauder had been surprised by this sudden action, he did not know, but Gabriel’s thrust barely slashed across his armor as Uberman found himself staring into the demonic thief’s eyes at point blank range. Wasting no time, he stretched his right arm out and gave the Marauder his hardest uppercut to the head. The sound of his fist striking his enemy could be heard throughout the city, a blow that nearly cracked the thief’s skull. Once again Gabriel took to the air, but this time not under his own power. The force of the blow forced him into a delirious spin, and for a moment Uberman was not sure if he would ever fall. But fall he did, all at once into the rubble and smoke of the battlefield. The Marauder landed unconscious with a thud followed by a short silence.
-----Looking around the street that had been reduced to ashes, Uberman realized that several of the battles had spread out into different areas of Zel’Myas. The armor surrounding his face began to crackle, and for the first time since the battle had ended he began to feel the pain in his face. Smoke still trailed from the charred plating over his head, and parts of his skin had even received burns from the Marauders fire, but all at once another explosion in the distance took his mind off of the pain.
-----He took notice instead of the young man who had freed them. Tim and Shinsuke were both huddled over the unconscious Raea and doing everything they could to wake her up. There was a look of dread in Tim’s face as well as a sense of desperation. Unfortunately, the scene caused painful memories to resurface in Uberman.
-----“How is she?” Uberman asked, abruptly coming forward to inspect his fellow Sentinel. “Is she going to be alright?”
-----“I can still sense a lot of life in her,” Yagami replied. “She received quite a shock, but she’s a strong woman, she’ll pull through.”
-----Tim gave Raea a slight shake in an attempt to rouse her body. It didn’t matter that the electricity that flowed through her continued to shock him, for he wouldn’t leave her side for anything.
-----Her eyes began to open ever so slightly, her first sight being Tim standing over her. Despite being dark out, Raea felt as if a burst of light had entered her eyes upon their opening. She staggered only a little and regained her composure, much to Tim’s surprise.
-----“Raea, you’re all right. Thank God, I...I thou” Tim started.
-----“Of course I’m all right ya big dummy,” Raea laughed, nudging the side of his face affectionately as if to indicate ‘thank you’ without saying words.
-----“We should get out of the city quickly,” Yagami suggested. “The Marauders may have evacuated for now, but they’ll be back soon.”
-----Raea looked puzzled for a moment, almost forgetful of where they were. “Did we win? Ar.....where are the others?”
-----“Don’t worry,” Tim responded. “They went deeper into the city. They’re all probably still fighting.”
-----Uberman walked over to Telissa Ravan who still laid unconscious but appeared to be in good condition. Picking her up into his arms, Uberman turned around and asserted himself. “We can’t wait for the others. We have to get out of here now and get to the Caves. Let us not forget that we have a mission...a duty to all of Khazan.”
-----“But sir,” Raea said, “I mean, I understand our condition sir, but we might need their help to complete the mission!”
-----“I understand that Raea,” Uberman replied. “They are all accomplished heroes, I’m sure they’ll make it there on their own. Until then, we have our own work to do.”

-----POWAAA-Man stepped back as his opponents kick nearly through him off his feet. The Marauder ninja had turned out to an impressive fighter, much more skilled than Woose had anticipated. His enemy stood tall and took an ominous stance that he was Woose was quite unfamiliar with, and for a moment he was sure that he could sense a devious smile behind that Marauder mask of his.
-----Woose merely smiled back and took his own stance. No villain, no matter how strong, could shake either his determination or his ego. “You’re pretty good. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a good martial arts fight. Tell me, what’s your name warrior.”
-----The ninja stood motionless for a moment, almost frozen in time. The eyelids of his mask shrank as he apparently scowled at the hero. “I am known as Shinaku, though I see no point in knowing such things. You are an enemy of the Marauders, that is all I need to know.” With his very last word the ninja sprang forth, pulling a forbidding triangular shaped dagger into his hand.
-----Shinaku’s charge was unexpected, yet somehow Woose managed to allude the strike, following with a sharp kick to the ninja’s wrist. Even as the dagger plunged from Shinaku’s hand the ninja never wavered a second. He turned and struck with the speed of a cobra, smashing his fist against the side of POWAAA-Man’s head.
-----Woose could barely stop himself from collapsing to the ground, but he had faced similar strong adversaries before, and he would not let this one take him down. He attempted a counter, but was met instead with another swift kick to his chest by the ninja. His breath left him as the force through him across the city streets. For a moment, Woose thought that he was unconscious, or perhaps merely stunned from the strength of the blows, but he was awake once more upon a sudden thud.
-----Grasping the back of his head, Woose looked up to see that he had collided with the base of a look-out tower. The searchlights were still active, but it was likely that any Marauders operating the tower had left when the fighting broke out. A violent scream turned his attention to Shinaku, charging towards him like a raging bull.
-----The ninja jumped forty feet into the air and began a diving kick. Shinaku pierced the air like a bullet, but POWAAA-Man strafed his head across the dusty ground, barely avoiding the Marauder’s attack in the process. As the ninja’s foot plunged through the ground, Woose spun his body across the ground and caught the Marauder off guard with a leg sweep.
-----Shinaku hit the pavement hard, although he sprang to his feet as quickly as Woose. “I see you have some degree of skill,” he said as he jumped towards Woose yet again.
-----Without a thought in his head, Woose twisted his body and avoided the ninja’s punch, countering with a swift jab to the stomach that blew the wind out of the Marauder. “How’s that for skill?” Woose replied as he slid across the ground towards his opponent and brought both of his feet to bare on his opponent. The first struck Shinaku’s head, nearly twisting it completely around just as the second impacted his chest.
-----Having gotten carried away in the battle, Woose landed clumsily on the ground but was still surprised to see his enemy fly back into the same search tower that he had struck just moments before. Shinaku’s impact was much greater, however, and the ninja’s body smashed through the first wall and slid across the floor of the building like a fragile rock. Yet even then Shinaku was up, brushing the dust and rubble off of his back and lifting himself off the ground. Woose could hear a strange, almost haunting combination of angry grumbling and fierce laughing.
-----“Will this guy ever stay down?” Woose asked himself. “The others may have already gotten out by now!”
-----Shinaku was panting, that much was certain, but the ninja took to his full height and flexed his muscles nonetheless. It seemed that nothing Woose could do would bring him down. “I must say, I am impressed so far. But I have only begun to fight warrior! If that is the best you have, then I suggest you give up now, less I tear you apar...”
-----The ground shook with a sudden, unexpected fury, interrupting the ninja and mutually destroying their focus. Woose looked around himself dumbfounded before he realized that it was not the ground, but the tower which had obviously taken its share of damage from their battle. The tower quickly collapsed, never giving Shinaku a moment of hope to escape the rain of metal and machinery that fell upon him.
-----Woose covered his face as the shockwave brushed against him, bringing with it a storm cloud of ashes. As the smoke cleared, Woose slowly opened one eye to see what little there was of the tower. Shinaku was no where in sight, either dead or immobile beneath the tons of brick and metal. A look of shock swiftly turned into a bright smile as Woose lifted his first high into the air. “I AM VICTORIOUS!!”

-----Michael sneered as Razor’s chain swung by, slicing through his left cheek and releasing a trail of blood behind the ex-Ragemaster as he ran. Cortelloni watched his enemies movements, taking careful notice of his pivots and turns as the Marauder came at him. The next attack was rather simple and easy to avoid, although he had not expected too much from his old enemy. He had known Razor among the Marauder members before, and while he was a skillful and deadly opponent, he was dull when it came to analyzing his opponents.
-----Cortelloni took his gun into hand and fired three quick shots at his enemy, guiding the bullets to his target with his mind even as the Marauder made vain attempts to avoid the gunfire. Instead, Razor lifted his metal claws to meet the incoming projectiles. The Marauder had obviously improved his skill since the last time he saw him. Then again, it had been a long time.
-----Shirai gasped for the hundredth time as she spun around at the sounds of the bullets striking the metallic encasing around Razor’s forearms. A stray bullet ricocheted off of the arm plating with an ear shattering clang and nearly took its place in the young girl’s head, but her ever-faithful ferret lunged in to take the shot. Even as Natsumi frantically spun around to keep track of the battles around her the sikigami sprang to his feet as good as new.
-----Shirai had at first fled the Vitamin T and followed Cortelloni, but her path had become somewhat distorted once the group began to spread through the city like wild fire. She now only saw two of her partners: Cortelloni who still seemed set on settling an old score with a Marauder; and Tanin who was still happily engaged in combat with Klart the Firebane.
-----Not knowing exactly how to involve herself in the combat, Shirai brought her Sikigami’s to the battle and had her ferret block a number of attacks against her comrades. Despite her status as a hero, Shirai was relieved that none of the Marauders seemed particularly concerned with killing her, and this would prove to be an advantage.
-----Razor swung his chain with an angry roar that filled the sky and almost intimidated Cortelloni. His opponent was obviously frustrated, but his determination seemed to be building up inside, or perhaps his rage was approaching a boiling point. In either case, Razor struck with much greater strength and speed than anticipated, catching Cortelloni’s gun with the edge of the chain’s blade and sending the firearm into the air and onto the ravaged ground.
-----Razor gritted his teeth as he raised his arm into the air, pulling the blade chain into the clouds. The moonlight illuminated the chain as Michael watched it approach like an ominous phantom; the reflection nearly blinding his vision as the chain came down upon him.
-----Michael kept his gaze fixed on the end of the chain and grabbed it in mid-air with telekinesis. Razor could only gasp as he saw the end of his blade stop just inches from Cortelloni’s eye. Cortelloni smiled briefly as if to declare his victory momentarily, then abruptly swung his head and concurrently pulled the chain through the air in the same motion. Razor, still holding on to his precious weapon, was thrown to the air in a circular motion, thrown about as if caught in a chaotic tide.
-----All at once Cortelloni let loose of the chain in his mind, and at that moment Razor was released, flying across the rugged city streets and into another district. The Marauder crashed through the walls of a distant mechanical factory, sending waves of clangs and cracks throughout the city.
-----For a man who had survived a direct shot to the chest by Raea’s main arm cannon, Cortelloni doubted that Razor had been killed by the throw, but Michael knew that his main concern was to himself. He had the perfect opportunity to flee the city now, and he wasn’t about to let a rivalry with a few Marauders keep him in this god forsaken city.
-----Michael ran off without a word, much to the distress of Shirai, who was unsure if she should follow the rogue or stay with Tanin.
-----The Avatar of Light seemed to hold his own to say the least, dancing around his opponent in an almost comical fashion and smiling all the way. The blood-red glow of Klart’s eyes flared as Tanin faded away from each attack, his leftover after image annoying the Marauder with cocky smiles and the occasional tongue taunt.
-----Klart nearly shattered his teeth in rage as he went after Tanin to silence his taunting if nothing else. With each passing moment his thoughts became clouded in anger and hatred. His attacks became slower and less coordinated, while Tanin seemed to enjoy himself throughout it all. Klart paused as his opponent continued to teleport around him. The Marauder took in deep breaths as he closed his eyes and concentrated on the burning within him. He sought to regain control of his rage and use it as he had before. With his eyes still closed, he traced the thoughts of his opponent. The one called Tanin was about to attack, he could feel it in his mind, and he could feel his approach in the depths of his conscience.
-----Klart turned without warning and struck out with the ferocity of a wild beast. Tanin sensed the danger and raised Chrysilium to block Klart’s blade. The two blades, very much alike, rebounded off of each other and forced both of their owners to step back. Klart scowled at his opponent, but Tanin continued to smile as he always did. That gesture had been far more annoying to Klart than any maneuver or attack the Avatar of light could have possibly pulled off.
-----“So, you got some fight left in you?” Tanin smirked. “Although its plainly obvious that you’re not so tough when you don’t have all your Marauder friends helping you.”
-----Klart would have spoken back, but he knew that anything he said would be met with another cocky statement by the avatar. Instead he came forward and began to thrust and swing his blade through the air violently. Tanin stepped back as the first barely missed him; turned his head to the side as the second horizontal slash passed over his ear; turned his body and shoulders as the third attack plunged down and buried itself into the ground; and raised Chrysilium to parry the next.
-----Tanin pushed Klart away with a laugh and stepped forward with an rising cut that found itself to Klart’s left shoulder and nearly split it asunder. Klart staggered as his arm was held on by a thread, the blood pouring down like a fountain. The Marauder fell to his knees and subsequently collapsed to the ground with dust lifting into the air and then falling upon his body.
-----Tanin raised Chrysilium into the air as if to declare an early and expected victory, but Klart lifted himself off of the ground and shook the dirt from his form.
-----“I don’t die so easily,” Klart exclaimed, now ignoring the pain in his shoulder. His arms found renewed strength and he brought his sword down upon the avatar of light. Their swords met with an earth shattering boom and Tanin was thrown back by the sheer force of the meeting. Tanin regained his footing as he slid across the ground and slowly brought himself up to full height, a smile still on his face.
-----“You’re pretty strong, I’ll definitely give you that,” the avatar of light retorted. “But you’ll need more than that to beat me!”
-----Klart ignored the comment and rushed ahead. Tanin met his maneuver by stepping forward as well, this time meeting the Marauder head on. Klart expected their swords to meet once again and readied himself for the force of the impact, but instead Tanin suddenly shifted his footing and passed by the Marauder’s side. Out of the corner of his eye Klart could see the hero’s cocky glare pass just inches away from his face ever so slowly, as if time had stopped, or perhaps he was just playing mind games again.
-----Tanin struck Klart in the back of the neck with the Chrysilium’s hilt and sent the Marauder into a tumultuous roll across the pavement.
-----“See, I told you so,” Tanin said in a blistery manner.
-----Klart held the back of his neck and he slowly raised himself off the ground. Such an attack was an insult to him, and was obviously used just to annoy him. In that field the hero had succeeded tremendously.
-----As he lifted himself back onto his feet the Marauder was greeted by another attack by the avatar, this time barely blocking Chrysilium with his own blade. Klart stumbled back even as Tanin swung his sword upwards with enough force to send Klart off of his feet. The Marauder landed on his back as the wind was knocked out of him in a brief instant. He gasped for air as he saw his sword flying through the air from the blow; it spun in the air for what seemed to be a lifetime before its blade dug into the ground.
-----Klart looked back at his sword, a good thirty feet or so from his reach, then turned to face his opponent. But there was nothing there now, the streets were desolate. Both Tanin and the small girl were gone, and had now doubt made their exit from Zel’Myas. Looking to the clouds above, Klart still burned inside. Toc Darkone would not take this well.

-----Maiinverno and Captain Khazan each took their turns approaching Morlos. The Captain moved in close to tackle the mage while Vincentzo countered the dark magic with his own, though even then the servant of evil proved to be resilient.
-----Morlos moved into the shadows to avoid another one of Captain Khazan’s punches, then sprang forth from the shadow of street light from behind both heroes. Morlos conjured whips of arcane fire that stalked their targets like ghostly spectres, moving through the air as if alive.
-----“You’ll have to attack him while he’s distracted,” Maiinverno said, countering the fire with a burst of magic missiles. “And try to get him before he goes into the shadows!”
-----Morlos readied himself for their next attack, but his senses tingled as another approached from the sky. Floating in front of the bright moon of Khazan, Tanin slowly descended down with Chrysilium in hand.
-----“Need a hand?” Tanin said with a smile. “I’m always happy to help when I can.”
-----The dark wizard eyes shrank in frustration anger at the appearance of the avatar of light. Fighting two of them without help proved to be difficult, and fighting three would be nigh impossible.
-----But even against these odds there was a ray of hope that suddenly emerged, much to Morlos’ delight. A ray of hope that took the form of the sound of marching footsteps. Not a few, not a dozen, but thousands. Closing his eyes, Morlos could sense the approaching darkness that swept across the Dark Shadow Forest. The time had come. There was no longer any need to fight for Zel’Myas.
-----Once again Morlos disappeared into the shadows, but this time he did not reappear. The streets of Zel’Myas were peaceful once more. Even if for only a moment.

-----Veda Lexine gracefully leapt through the air as if in flight, rebounding off of a building just as Izohn’s whip hit the structure and brought it down.
-----The rogue heroine dashed forward with her head down low and her blade extended. Izohn dodged her first thrust, but was caught across his right arm as she followed through with another cut. The Marauder leader whipped the ground, making it burst into flames as Veda attempted another attack. Izohn could feel his mind weaken as Veda’s technique began to take its toll.
-----Above him he could hear the booming engines of a large Marauder craft landing nearby. At last they had come, and not a moment too soon. Izohn spun the whip into a circle around him, its energy expanding and enveloping him.
-----Veda was surprised by the massive explosion which she could have sworn to be a suicide, but it was nothing more than a distraction. Peering into the leftover smoke of the blast, Veda could see the Marauder’s figure run towards the flying vehicle.
-----The massive Marauder copter was an armored transport, bristling with gun emplacements and reinforced plating. The Marauders here had apparently spared no expense. The door of the copter, decorated by the skull symbol of the Marauders, opened up as the Copter touched the ground.
-----Izohn looked up to see a fellow Marauder awaiting him at the door and quickly pointed back at the hero who pursued him. “Take that woman down! Now!”
-----The gun turrets on top of the copter turned to face their barrels at Veda and began to fire rapidly. Veda’s path was closed off as the bullets rattled across the ground, steadily getting closer to her position. She turned back with an angry sigh and took cover between two buildings. The bullets continued to splash against the buildings and occasionally broke through, though Veda was fortunate that none came close to hitting her.
-----The Marauder inside of the giant transport reached his arm out and motioned for Izohn to board. “Hurry sir, we have to leave Zel’Myas immediately. We just received notice from our guards near the Dark Shadow forest.”
-----“Yes, what is it?” Izohn asked as he jumped inside of the copter.
-----“They were attacked by a large force of demons!” the man shouted above the roaring sound of the copter’s turning blades. “They think an entire army is coming towards Zel’Myas, probably the same type of army that’s been attacking Xaelon!”
-----Izohn took his seat as the copter quickly took to the air and fled the city that the Marauders had once controlled. “So, it is as I thought. Drekis has no intention of helping us, he wished only to take everything for himself. But why attack us now? Fighting one force is always easier than fighting two.”
-----Izohn looked out of the window to see the capital of Zel’Myas. The Marauders inside were quickly taking their belongings or whatever they could carry and evacuating the city. They had already been startled by the heroes, and there was no way they could defend the city from an attacking army in this condition. It was then that Izohn thought of the heroes who had ruined the Marauder’s dreams here in Zel’Mier. Perhaps...perhaps they were the reason Drekis attacked so soon.

-----The Unsubtle took a deep breath as a group of Marauder’s pulled the Vitamin T out of the crater. As soon as the giant machine had cleared the edge, the Marauder took off in a frantic notion, never bothering to seek a reward or a simple thanks.
-----Unaware of what the Marauder’s were afraid of, she jumped into her Vitamin T and closed the hatch. Her poor machine had suffered some damage in the recent battle, but her tank wasn’t just a standard vehicle.
-----The Unsubtle clapped her hands in joy as she started up the tank and moved it across the city once more.
-----“Yes! I was afraid I would lose you for a second there. Now, lets see what all this commotion is about.”
-----She thought of holding a fellow Marauder at gun point just to recieve the information she wanted, but a few quick glances at the running crowd told her everything she needed. She recognized the looks on their faces. There was danger approaching, and whatever it was, it meant that the Marauder occupation of Zel’Mier had come to an unfortunate end.
-----The Unsubtle frowned as she thought of leaving the city. She had not even pillaged the surrounding villages as much as she wanted to. Still, she knew that whatever was going to happen was something that she didn’t want to stick around to see, not alone anyways.
-----The Vitamin T turned around and quickly followed the fleeing Marauders outside of the city. In time, Zel’Myas was empty of both civilians and the Marauders who had held them captive.

-----Uberman slowly marched across the ravaged city landscapes of Zel’Myas, striding through the smoke and fire of the conflicts aftermath. In what had been a relatively small battle, the city had turned into a war-torn wasteland.
-----With the city having been mysteriously evacuated, Uberman’s team found no opposition and passed through an unlocked gateway. As they settled just outside of the city walls, Tim turned and eagerly looked for any sign of the others.
-----“Don’t concern yourself with Tanin and the rest,” Yagami assured him. “They are professional heroes and can take care of themselves.”
-----Telissa began to stir in Uberman’s arms, and the SLJ leader was relieved to set the young woman on the ground and check his own injuries. The demonic Marauder had left a few marks on his armored body, but his actual flesh had been untouched aside from a few minor cuts and bruises.
-----Telissa opened her eyes and, much to the surprise of the others, wasted no time in jumping to her feet in apparent ignorance of any wounds she had acquired.
-----Raea smiled at the young bounty hunter in admiration of her stamina. “The Seekers must train you well.”
-----“I’ve spent years hunting down the Drekis Empire,” Telissa responded. “If I was to be taken down by a ravenous group of thieves I’d have to quit the business right here and now.”
-----Uberman looked towards the horizon and saw the insect-sized silhouettes of the Marauders who were running away from the city. The evacuation was an enigma to him, for he was certain that even a strong group of Sentinels were not enough to bring chaos to the resolve of the Marauders.
-----“Something’s not right here,” he said. “Something tells me that we should get out of here.”
-----“I agree with you on that one,” Tim said as his sword continued to glow. “I don’t think the Marauders ran because of that little conflict. They’ve been rather determined to keep the occupation going on, so whatever scared them away would have to be big!”
-----Yagami sharply turned back towards the city as he felt the body heat of six individuals approaching. Uberman, taking notice of his apparent agitation, readied himself for a potential battle, but Yagami quickly put his worries to rest, “Do not worry. There is no danger.”
-----Tanin emerged from the mist of battlesmoke from within the city, a cocky smile of victory decorating his face. Captain Khazan, Cortelloni, Shirai, Woose, and Maiinverno all followed closely behind.
-----The reunion was short and sweet as the group congratulated each other for a job well done, but the shrill shrieks and blood curtling cries that rose up from the DarkShadow forest put an end to their excitement.
-----“Something tells me that our mission is going to be put on hiatus,” Tanin said.
-----Raea looked down the valley and into the darkness of the forest, but neither her eyes nor her visor could pick up anything. “Captain, do you think you could look beyond those trees? Either my equipment was damaged in the battle or I just can’t pick up anything here!”
-----Captain Khazan squinted as he looked miles into the distance and took notice of the demonic forms etched inside forest, all steadily approaching. At first he saw only a dozen or so, and it was easy to recognize them as the same deminites which he and Amy Coleman had fought before. But as he looked more closely he nearly froze at the sight of two dozen, then three dozen, then five. “Our mission isn’t on hiatus,” he said as his tone became rather grim. “Its officially over. It seems our actions were noticed by the Drekis empire.”
-----“How many are coming?” Vincentzo asked. “I know my confidence is quite legendary, but I think that we might be able to stand against them.”
-----Captain Khazan shook his head. “No, I suggest we leave and head back to Khazan city for further planning. Its impossible for me to assess the true extent of the army while they are in the forest, but it exceeds three thousand by far.”
-----“Three Thousand!?” Shirai yelled.
-----Tanin sheathed his sword in disgust. “As much as I hate to say it, I’ll have to side with the good Captain. I have a clear memory of what happened at Xaelis. The demons are weak on their own, but an army of several thousands....no, we’d need an army of our own to surmount a force like that.”
-----“But how could they have known about this?” Yagami pondered. “Was it just coincidence that Zel’Myas would be attacked at this time.”
-----“Doubtful,” Tim replied as his sword continued to glow. “My sword began to glow just as it does now when I was near one of those Marauders, and in all cases that this has occurred I’ve been near the minions of Drekis. I say there was a spy.”
-----“Drekis is no fool,” Telissa stated. “I remember what he did to my planet so long ago. Believe me, if he’s been on Khazan for several years we’ll have to assume that he has spies in every major power on this planet.”
-----“So what do we do now,” POWAAA-Man asked.
-----“I say we make for the border of Araelis,” Vincentzo suggested. “Once we make
it to the border cities we can get a craft and fly to Khazan City a lot quicker than if we traveled on our own. After all, not all of us can fly.”
-----Uberman nodded. “Very well, Araelis it is. I’ll have to contact the other members of the SLJ council about what has transpired here. Let’s get moving before we get caught up in the swarm.”
-----The heroes hurried across the empty fields of Zel’Mier just as the demons reared their heads from behind the trees and streaked across the valley at an impressive speed. As he took one last look back at the country side, Tim saw the army moving across the hills like a hellish blight that consumed everything. Where the army passed, nothing survived, not even the plantlife below.
-----Zel’Mier had been liberated from the Marauders, but the cost had been unthinkable.

-----As the hours passed, Relinqiest sat on his throne of black iron, twirling his glass of wine in his left hand. In the middle of his massive chamber, which had been shaped by the tireless deminite workers, two massive pits of fire and magic sat to either side of the center walkway, filling the chamber with an impressive green light.
-----The circular room was adorned with mystical writings and symbols of a dreadful nature, and at all times there seemed to be quiet voices whispering in the darkness...reciting the spells written in the wall and speaking of discord and doom to the enemies of the Drekis empire.
-----Relinqiest smiled and relaxed as the whispering voices of magic calmed him like an intoxicating drug. Amidst the babbling of the arcane text another voice crept into the chamber...a coherent voice that spoke of the successful destruction of Zel’Myas.
-----“Excellent,” he said to himself. “Everything is going as planned. Soon the western coast of this continent will be under our control. Once that happens it is only a matter of time before the rest falls.”
-----He paused as he felt a stronger, darker force approach his chamber. The doors opened to a thunderous sound, and the green pits suddenly flared at the arrival of Relinqiests master.
-----Drekis slowly moved across the walkway, his body shrouded in a surrounding field of total darkness. His form was barely visible, and whether he walked on legs or floated across the land like an ominous spirit was indecipherable. His broad soldiers, reptilian spikes and talons, and the face of a demonic dragon who had just emerged from the depths of hell were his trademarks, but Relinqiest noticed that he was now a great deal larger, having grown from seven feet to possibly twelve feet.
-----Immediately the dark wizard stood up and left his throne to meet his master at the base of stairs. “Drekis, my lord, it is a great honor to have you come to my chamber,” he said as he kneeled and lowered his head. “To what do I owe the honor of such a visit?”
-----“Your formality is not required,” Drekis replied in a booming voice that echoed within Relinqiests mind. “My other generals have already moved out across the land. Veronica battles with the vigilant beings of Thenesiea as we speak; Jon approaches the capital of Xaelon with his armies; Horror stands ready to enter Cretalia; Aigonis is ready to begin the conquest of Araelis; and now Shadow Wing has begun preparations for an assault on Axia. I have come to ask of your accomplishments in this war Relinqiest.”
-----“I assure you my lord I am anything but Idle. The full force of my armies is not yet required. I have much confidence, just as you do, in the generals of our empire. They will crush the Western state-kingdoms by the end of the month. Although, my lord, I am pleased to announce that Zel’Mier has followed to my forces.”
-----“And the heroes that Morlos spoke of?”
-----“None of them were touched my lord, I am sorry. They moved up to Araelis and will likely retreat even from there.”
-----“That is of little concern at the moment. I care more about winning the war than killing a small group of fools. I have completed my evolution and stand ready to attack Khazan city itself, but the other state-kingdoms must fall before such an attack can even begin. I trust that you and the other generals will succeed on time?”
-----“Of course my lord. Of course, I must admit that I am thoroughly impressed by the people of Khazan. They are quite a diverse culture, and they fight very well. Still, that will only make the war more fun for us.”
-----“Yes, they are truly unique, but this grand planet truly mirrors another great culture that once existed in this pathetic universe. Being the nexus of all realities does not make this planet indomitable, that much has been proven in the past.”
-----“There is one more thing which I wish to speak to you about master Drekis,” Relinqiest said just at the avatar of chaos turned to leave.
-----Drekis quietly turned his head and stared at the dark wizard, instructing him to go on.
-----“I used the power of the Drifting eye to view the conflict in Zel’Myas first hand. During the battles I witnessed a young man fight with Morlos as well as the Marauders. He carried with him a blade that seems eerily familiar to me as well as some of the others. It began to glow bright blue when near your minions, and the otherwise inexperienced warrior used it with surprising expertise. His power is...undeveloped to say the least, but if it should grow...”
-----Drekis quickly spun around and grabbed Relinqiests face with his left arm, his sharp fingers almost piercing into the back of the wizards head like blades. “Show me this with your own memory!”
-----“O...of...of course my lord.”
-----The image of the young man came into Drekis’ own memory as he absorbed the information from his loyal general. The shining blade, the uncanny resemblance. There could be no denying it. “I don’t believe it. Can it really be? By all the stars in heaven I would have never dreamed that I would see this...at least not so soon.”
-----“Then is it true master?” Relinqiest inquired.
-----Drekis released the general and grinned. “How interesting. The son of Sarachus...here on this planet. Who would have thought that it would come to this. Perhaps it is truly a universal destiny.”
-----“But he seems rather ignorant of his latent powers my lord,” Relinqiest said. “I do not believe that he knows of his special stature.”
-----“You’re right Relinqiest,” Drekis boomed. “Sarachus must have never taught him of his true heritage. That makes it all the more interesting! But wait! If the son of Sarachus in here, on this planet, could she be here as well?”

-----“Do you have any idea of what you’re saying Woose!!! Vincentzo yelled, his face red with both anger and sheer frustration.
-----“Of course I know what I’m saying,” Woose responded. “Its not like I like it anymore than you do!”
-----Uberman separated the two as their anger continued to increase. “Calm down, both of you. It doesn’t do us any good to argue with each other at such an important time.”
-----Vincentzo swung his arm through the air unconsciously as he vented himself through a number of mumblings before he finally came to. “Of course, that’s very easy for you to say Uberman. Araelis isn’t your responsibility.”
-----“As leader of the SLJ, all of Khazan is my responsibility,” Uberman said sternly, moving up to look at Vincentzo face to face.
-----“How about we all calm down and assess the situation for a moment, can we?” Captain Khazan suggested.
-----Uberman took in a deep breath and stepped back onto the balcony of the Arael Palace. “Look Maiinverno, I understand how you feel, but now is the time to make plans. I was at Xaelis when the Drekis empire attacked, so was Tanin and Captain Khazan. They want to throw us into disarray, its part of their overall strategy.”
-----“Its not just one of their strategies,” Telissa said, standing against the wall with her arms crossed as she looked out at the majestic state-kingdom of Araelis. “Its one of their abilities. The Deminite wolves can shatter the courage and control the emotions of an entire army, enough just to make them falter at a time when courage is important.”
-----“Well for someone who knows so much about Drekis you certainly aren’t helping much!” Vincentzo yelled.
-----“Don’t bring her into this,” Raea said. “Our enemy is Drekis, he’s the only one responsible for all of this! Now, Woose, are you absolutely sure about everything.”
-----“Of course,” Woose replied. “I’ve confirmed it with all of the guards as well as with people from Xaelis. The city of Rugudelon fell to another army.”
-----“How many damn armies does this guy have under his control?” Tanin asked as he floated in the air over the balcony.
-----“His army is nearly limitless,” Telissa said, never taking her eyes away from the horizon. “They continue to spawn and form everyday, with production often exceeding the losses they face. That’s how they destroy planets. They divide innumerable minions into multiple armies and begin a hellish blitzkrieg across the land.”
-----“And now they’re coming to Araelis,” Vincentzo sighed. “When I became leader of this State-kingdom I expected to lead it to greatness and clean up the crime that had once plagued its streets, but I never expected to fight off something like this. How horrid. My army is a relatively new one...understand that very few of my men have the experience necessary to even stand up to such an attack.”
-----“What makes you so sure they will come to Araelis?” Shirai said, who had taken a seat on the hard stone ground of the balcony as the conversation had gotten underway. The Sikigami circled her carefully as she awaited her answer.
-----Both Yagami and Cortelloni stood with their backs to the horizon, arms crossed and bodies leaded up against the balcony’s railing. Yagami opened his eyes and turned his head to look in the direction of Rugudelon. “Rugudelon is the sight of a major bridge that crosses over into Araelis. It is by far the easiest way to enter this state-kingdom, at least for a large army. They will come.”
-----“Right, Araelis is a strategically important place if they hope to spread out to the eastern countries of the continent.” Captain Khazan said.
-----As the conversation continued, Uberman retreated to the edge of the balcony and joined Telissa in looking out over the city of Arael. It was indeed true that Vincentzo, despite a reputation for being an arrogant and self-righteous nobleman, had done some great things for this land. He remembered when Araelis had been a free country with no government and no real protection. Those chaotic times were now part of the past thanks to Maiinverno’s efforts. The cities of Araelis were now majestic and beautiful in its own right. It did not have the glorious sky scrapers found within Khazan City, but rather it had a sort of medieval beauty with a few modern aspects. It would be truly sad if all of this work would be for nothing.
-----As Uberman thought of the best course of action, he saw Tim at the other end of the balcony, seemingly oblivious to the conversation at hand. Instead, the young man was practicing with his blade, swinging it wildly in the air in an attempt to relive those moments in Zel’Mier when he had used it with such grace and power. The blade no longer glowed as it did back in the Marauder territory, but its unique blade was undoubtedly special.
-----Tim grasped the handle with both hands and swung it as if he were taking off the head of an attacking monster. He thought of Raea and of the demons they would fight against, but above all he thought about the sword. He didn’t know why, but the mystery of this blade had become much more important to him than in the past. He felt that, for one reason or another, the answers to all of his questions could be found in the sword.
-----As he closed his eyes and tried to imagine another enemy, a new image came into view...a ghostly image that was very clear to him. He saw a beautiful young woman standing in the wind, a smile on her face. He felt drawn to this image, yet he had no idea as to who she was. He then saw the shadow of a mysterious yet familiar man who was suddenly standing beside this woman, and then, emerging above them both was a new king of devilry that was more disgusting and horrifying than all of his previous nightmares.
-----He swung his sword violently through the air at the sight of this perplexing image, but all at once it disappeared and his eyes were abruptly opened. The image of Uberman suddenly became clear to him, dangerously close to the path of his sword.
-----Tim gasped as he pulled his sword back with all of his strength. Uberman never faltered and continued went on to speak as if never noticing. “Tim, are you all right? You seem distracted.”
-----“No, No, I’m alright,” Tim replied. “Just a little shaky I guess.”
-----“That sword of yours. Do you know much about it?”
-----“Me? No. But I wish I did most certainly. It was given to me by my father, whom I barely even knew.”
-----“It was glowing again for just a brief moment as you swung it,” Uberman informed him. “But I digress. Listen, you know Raea closely do you not.”
-----“Uh, of course sir, we’ve known each other since we were children.”
-----Uberman nodded. “She tells me you two have always wanted to be heroes since you were kids...maybe even take part in the Khazan tournament.”
-----Tim nodded.
-----“Well, Raea has certainly fulfilled her childhood dreams. What about you Tim? Do you still want to be a member of the Sentinels of Liberty and Justice?”
-----“Of course sir. I’ve always thought of the Sentinels as one of the highest orders of Khazan’s heroes. Raea and I made a promise that neither of us would stop until we had both fulfilled our dreams.”
-----“Well then Tim, when we get to Khazan City I want you to come with me and Raea to the SJJ base.”
-----“Si...sir, are you saying...I mean...I,”
-----“Calm down Tim, I don’t want you getting too worked up at a time like this. Listen, the SLJ is going to need the bravest warriors around, and you’ve proven through your most recent actions that you are indeed both a brave and effective warrior. Understand, Tim, that its the least I could for your helping us escape from Zel’Myas. I don’t like to view membership of the SLJ as a privilege like a number of other heroes do. In my opinion, if you’re a strong and selfless individual who is willing to do what it takes to make a difference in this world you have as much a right to be among the Sentinels as I do.”
-----Tim paused for a long moment, quite surprised as well as pleased by this surprising turn of events. For a brief moment he looked over Uberman’s shoulder to see Raea, who looked back at him with a loving smile and waved her hand gently in his direction. “I...I am honored by this sir. I promise that as a member of the SLJ I will do anything it takes protect Khazan.”
-----Uberman laughed, “Well that’s a good attitude to say the least. You might not have a lot of experience behind your back, but I think that with a little training and time you’ll fit in with the SLJ just fine.”
-----Even as Uberman walked away to rejoin the important conversation regarding the future of Araelis, Tim was still stunned by what had transpired. Raea walked over to him and gave him a soft nudge to the face.
-----“Hey there tough guy, you still with us here in Khazan, or are you still somewhere up in the clouds,” she said playfully.
-----Tim’s only response was to smile and embrace her. He didn’t care that he was facing what could potentially be one of the bloodiest wars in recent history, for nothing could shatter such an accomplishment as this. “It’s finally happened Raea,” Tim said. “I’m a hero of Khazan.”
-----Raea kissed him gently and playfully ran her hand through his silver hair. “No, you had already become a hero. Now you’re a Sentinel of Liberty and Justice.”