BZPB: Future

<Malchior IV>

Praxter laughed too. "I don't think the Norman needs to know about this."

-----

<Meeting with Klakk>

Mirage cleared his throat, and asked "Wouldn't that be counterproductive? Reducing the amount of troops available to us?"

*Klak smiled, a slight tear coming out of his eye.*

Me: I still miss her after all these years. Anyways....

*He waved his hand, and the door to the warehouse opened, revealing a complex laboratory inside*

Me: I wasn't much of a scientist back in the day. But dangerous circumstances often force your hand. I also learned a lot from Kakamu and Nadle.

*Meanwhile, a mechanical body was laid down on a table.*

Me: Anything catch your fancy?

---

*Klakk turned to Mirage. Although he welcomed discussion in his executive board, Mirage still questioned him in a way.*

*Klakk's red eyes glowed in the darkness. Their light matched the one of the stars above.*

Klakk: "Yes. But better to have 5 men who fight with the force of a thousand, than to have a thousand that fight like a dead cat. Survival of the fittest."

<The Sabre>

Still on the ship's bridge, Kakamu snaps out of his trance with a jerk and falls to the floor. He rises up a few moments later, floating in the air and quietly muttering gibberish to himself, while beginning to radiate a purple energy of some sort. His feet touch the ground again and he crouches before launching a multitude of element-based attacks against a section of the ship's hull. Before the Rahkshi on-board can stop him, some are sucked towards the newly created tear in the hull, which Kakamu takes off through. Once in, he uses his Kraata power of Vacuum to steer himself towards the two titans fighting in the void.

Kakamu: For circumstances change and the lowly are risen with new and unending purpose.

He swerves inbetween the two and creates a long, jagged black sword by separating some of the biometal from his body and shifting it into this form.

Kakamu: How can one prepare for a surprise attack? Is is not, as we are led to believe, an unforseen consequence.

Extending both arms out to Blackout and Ynot, he uses his telekinesis to draw them towards him at high speed...

<Malchior IV, Klak's lab>

Praxter's fancy was indeed caught, as expected, by the mechanical body. "What's that?" he said, pointing at it.

-----

<Meeting with Klakk>

"Very well, my liege." Mirage conceded the point, even though he was still unconvinced. This all seemed like a disaster in the making.

Me: Oh, that? *grins* A fusion between a robotic being and an antidermis shell. The moment before I die, I will enter it and act as an influence. It's similar to a perfected form of what User MK thought of centuries ago: two beings in one shell. But, unlike my User friend, I will not occasionally take over the body, and fight with its natural intelligence. I will simply act as a guide, and as a power source. Gentlemen...

*the mechanical body gets up, and smiles at all*

Me: Meet Trevax. I named it after...well..you know.

Trevax: "*in an emotional yet slightly robotic voice* Good evening!"

Me: It's afternoon, Trevax.

Trevax: "Good afternoon! I am Trevax. Klak is my father."

Me: Lie down now, Trevax.

*Trevax lies down and shuts down*

Me: *whispers* Pardon the kinks. I never was a good scientist compared to Kakamu, Krika, and that one friend of Ynot.

---

*Klakk smiled*

Klakk: "Do not worry, dear Mirage. Every possible outcome falls into our plan."

<Malchior IV>

"Trevax." Praxter repeated. The reference wasn't lost on him. "Listen, we need to talk. Perseus is dead. We have to organise."

-----

<Meeting with Klakk>

"I hope so. Also, my liege, one more thing. I discovered something in the Knowledge Dimension. Something that could be very useful to us." Mirage said. He opened his backpack and pulled out a roll of paper. "It's called an Octavarium. It's a prison, tailored specifically for magical beings. It constantly drains them of their magic energy, keeping them from breaking out. We could use this."

*Klak's eyes widened.*

Me: He's what?! Who.....

*He cursed in a now ancient language*

Me: And so it begins. He will likely come for me next. Which means...

*Klak rushed over to a console, and pressed several buttons. Trevax was suddenly bombarded with jolts of multicolored electricity.*

*The Makuta of Light then approached Praxter, and looked at him with an urgent face.*

Me: Praxter, what did Perseus tell you before he died?

---

*Klakk grinned and cackled. It was a frightening yet joyous laugh.*

Klakk: "Brilliant! Brilliant, Mirage! I already have several in mind I can use it on. Well done."

Ynot leans into the telekinetic pull, accelerating himself, and when he gets close, he spins, slams into Kakamu feet first, sending him careening into Blackout. "I don't need KOS to fight you two." Accentuating the statement, he flicks his wrist, forming several thousand spears in the air around him. "You are right, though, Blackout. I'm not the same. The old me would have told you to stand down, and all that," another twitch of his hand and the spears rain down on them. "I am not soft anymore. Ynohtna has been conversing with me. I must say, he makes very compelling arguments on why letting you live anymore does not help anyone, Balance or Order."
---

Santsu beats his wings, sending him downward and catching the buzzsaw with the bladed tips of his wings. "I'm afraid I must cut this short. Impressive a fighter you may be, I am needed elsewhere." Santsu twitches his wings, bringing them over his head and throwing Starscream into the Sabre, and while he's distracted, slips inside the ship.
----

The Rahkshi on the right find themselves becoming claustrophobic, crates appearing seemingly out of nowhere. "Now, now, prey. Playing hide and seek is no fun." The lights around them go out. "We can see where you are. This is OUR ship." A small fireball ignites in the center of them. "BOO!"

*Bolts of lightning, right angled in their turns strike the Rahkshi, where they hit, swords are left in the wounds*
----

The Rahkshi on the Left find their plasma bolt redirected into the other attacks as an intense Gravity hits them.

<Blackout v. Ynot>

Kakamu slammed into Blackout, knocking him back several metres. He quickly recovered, and looked up to see the spears. "Oh, Ynot. Oh, Ynot." He activated his magnetic powers, focusing on the spears. They began to slow down, and suddenly veered away, flying over Ynot's head and behind him.

"You dare speak of balance and order? I've been trying to uphold them my entire life, and you've been nothing but a hindrance. You don't even know what those words mean."

He charged a lightning bolt, and threw it at Ynot's head.

-----

<Starscream v. KOS>

Starscream was momentarily stunned as he smashed into the ship, scraping along its hull for a second or two. "Oh, my head....." he said, shape-shifting his buzzsaw back into a hand. He then dived into the hull breach, hoping to chase down KOS.

-----

<Idiotas v. Rahkshi>

The Rahkshi on the right shrieked as the fire spread through the room like wildfire, burning them alive. Several tried to run out of the room, but only succeeded in crashing into one another.


The Rahkshi on the left were rather more successful. Several were quickly eviscerated, but the others carried on firing.

-----

OOS: I'll reply to Klak's post tomorrow

OOS: le double post

<Malchior IV>

"He told me to form a resistance against Klakk, and that it wouldn't make any difference if I told people he wasn't really you." the Toa said. "He also told me Klakk had absorbed some of his memories and powers. He's even more dangerous than before now."

-----

<Meeting with Klakk>

"So, will there be anything else?" Evelin asked. They were all rather bored by now, except Catalyx, who wasn't anything. The Skrall was whistling a tune, and Barnax and Nemesis were playing rock-paper-scissors. Nemesis, being invisible, figured out he could win every time using the rock.

*Klak sighed. He anticipated only part of this.*

*The jolts of lightning suddenly stopped.*

Me: Damn it. I had not foreseen that. This means we'll have to start early, and train hard. Do you know any Knights who have had mercenary covers in the past century? We will need to recruit a few mercenaries, and smugglers. We also must find funds from anyone who might be sympathetic to resistance against what Klakk will bring to this universe. Praxter, you will be the leader of this resistance until Trevax is formidable enough. Once you deem him to be so, make him the leader.

*Klak paused for a moment to collect his thoughts.*

Me: If what I have heard is true, then Ynot will not be our ally. But do investigate. Do not approach Blackout or anyone who is allied to him, even if you believe they are incorruptible. He must never know about our resistance. We plan on creating one against him as well. Anyways, prepare the Knights through a strict training regimen. Those who are not knowledgable in war, smuggling, espionage, and the like, must become experts. And by experts, I mean that if they were to get a Ph.D in all of the above, they would be magna cum laude. But above all, Praxter, don't ever lose hope. Ever.


---

Klakk: "Yes. Don't die. *He smiled in the most fake manner possible* Because I will miss you! Now off you go."

<Malchior IV>

"Votron and Yoriba were infiltrating a criminal organisation a few years ago. In fact, I think they're still there." Praxter suggested. "Perseus told me they got close to the leader. He's a big figure in the underworld. Maybe he'll help us."

-----

<Meeting with Klakk>

"Alright then." Mirage said. "Let's move out, team." He opened a portal, and led his troops through it.

Me: Good, good. Excellent. What is your contingency plan in case he refuses?

---

*Klakk saluted all of his troop as they left, and looked to the skyline ahead of him. The night was as beautiful as ever.*

*Suddenly, in the distance, several bolts of electricity materialized. An orb of pure energy formed itself, and a tall black figure fell out of it. Klakk's hellish red eyes narrowed, and he flew over to investigate.*

*Less than an hour later, he arrived in the plains below the tower, discovering the rubble of an abandoned cottage, and the figure in question lying in a heap. It is a male in a black cloak, with a white mask that had an emblem in its center. His cloak and cowl covered nearly his entire body, revealing only his hands that were covered by a pair of dark gloves with runic inscriptions on them.*

Klakk: "What are you, visitor?"

*The creature did not speak. Instead, it communicated telepathically.*

???: "I am to die in time. Time is key. It always has been."

Klakk: "Of course."

???: "What year...is it?"

*Klakk told the man the date.*

???: "I have made a leap...."

Klakk: "You seem familiar."

???: "Your aura...Klak? I sense something different about you."

Klakk: "There are many things different about me. But I am likely not the Klak you seek. Now I remember. Mazkertis! They speak of you in history and the atrocities you've caused in two universes. I was alive during one of them, in fact. Quite admirable. It's a shame our paths never..."

Mazkertis: "You..you aren't..."

Klakk: "Even in your mind you feel tired. Quite fascinating. Tell me, is it true that you knew how to travel through time?"

Mazkertis: "I had a level of chronokinesis, yes. I knew that it was possible through other means, but for some reason I only could power it through the life of others. Maybe because it was the only way. The only way."

Klakk: "Would you be willing to teach me such an ability? Or will I have to take it from you?"

Mazkertis: "You can't be him....You can't..."

Klakk: "If I said I was, then I would validate everything you believed in. If I said that I wasn't, you'd still only be half right. *Klakk cackled.* Now hold still."

*Mazkertis's distorted screams echoed through the planet.*[/i]

<Malchior IV>

"Give me some time. I came up with that in five seconds, I'm sure I can come up with something better in five minutes." Praxter laughed.

-----

<Blackout v. Ynot location>

On the far end of the system, three ships suddenly appeared. They were alike, but completely different. While they were roughly the same shape, each was a patchwork, looking like it was made out of the pieces of a dozen different ships. They were built to look menacing, but didn't really manage it.

On the bridge of one of the ships, BoM_Master stood, his hands cuffed behind his back, and being held at gunpoint by a guard. The captain, a fifty-year-old, bald, red-eyed Terugan, spun around in her chair and glared at the Makuta.

"You were right. They really are fighting." she said.

"Really. No kidding. Do I still have to be cuffed?" BoM_Master fired back.

"Yes. Just because they're fighting doesn't mean you're to be trusted. You almost destroyed us once."

"Damn it, Tyl, that was thousands of years ago. I'm surprised any of you still remember that."

"The Hathoraxx Hunters never forget." Tyl spun away from BoM_Master, who cursed under his breath.

"Stay in position." The captain said to her officers. "I don't want to attack just yet."

-----

OOS: Yes, they're junk.

*Klak smiled.*

Me: Then you're ready. But do not let yourself become haughty.

*Trevax's body stood up*

Me: Well, what else do you want to do?

<Malchior IV>

"How defensible is this location? F-Klak is coming here soon. I'd prefer somewhere tougher.....maybe sewers we could line with explosives so they'd collapse on him." Praxter suggested. "If anything, it could give us time to get Trevax away so he won't destroy him too."

<The User HQ>

A rapping is heard on the Architect's door. "Lord Architect. I need to talk to you." If Klakk succeeds...

<User HQ>

The sound of the knocks echoed around the house, endlessly reverberating. But the Architect didn't answer, at least not at first. He lay on the couch in the sitting room, earbuds in his ears. He was listening to the song "White Shadows" by Coldplay.

Music, and Earth rock in particular, was one of his few real joys in this isolation. The infinite variations of sound Earthlings across the universes had come up with never ceased to surprise him.

He stayed there, not hearing a thing except the voice of Chris Martin, when he suddenly felt something. An alien thought had penetrated into his mind, pushing all else aside. He reluctantly removed his earbuds, and walked to the door, slowly, like the old man he was.

He opened the front door, revealing the first face he had seen in years. He blinked, trying to remember who this person was. "Hello, LM. Why do you choose to disturb me now of all times? I was in the middle of an awesome song."

The years had not had that much effect on the User - though lines had begun to appear beside his brown eyes, they were not very pronounced. He sported a goatee on his chin, which enhanced his shrewd, quick-witted appearance. He looked rather fair - one might even say handsome, were it not for the frown that always was on his face. The scowl marred him, and it was even deeper than it usually was.

He adjusted his brown, rectangular glasses, as he stepped into view, three round, electronic drones hovering in the air beside him. Upon seeing the Architect's old form, he stopped. How long had it been since he entered this room, he asked himself, as he stroked his goatee in thought...But no matter.

"Architect. You are the only one I can turn to." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a disk. This contains the footage of the Klakk project's result. The clone that we specifically designed to defeat Ynot is...significantly worse than he is."

He turned on the footage, showing Klakk's rampages, evidence of his unstable personality. "But MY and MK refused to listen to reason. If I could get your support, however..." He left the rest of the question unsaid, given how obvious it was.

Me: Not very. I have turrets hidden in different locations in the lab, but I relied more on how hidden this place is. It also looks abandoned. If my hypothesis is correct, Klakk has spent far too long thinking like himself. He will be unable to predict my actions, which means it will be harder for him to find this warehouse. He also won't know about the mine I placed in the door that explodes when beings of shadow enter. That will delay him for 6 seconds. The turrets are all outfitted with bullets strong enough to do some damage, but not enough. It will still only delay him. The turrets are programmed to keep shooting until either they run out of bullets, or they detect that their target is dead. He will most likely put up a shield, or deactivate them.

*Klak rubbed his chin.*

I've studied his moves for the many years he's pretended to be me. There's a bit of what I'd do in it, but there's also stuff I've never heard of. I was able to build this place near a sewer as an escape route as a fail safe. You could line them with explosives. No one uses them anymore. The only question is how that might injure him. If he takes them well, then they will wear him down for a few minutes. In total, we will have saved about 10-20 minutes of escape time, if we're lucky. If we aren't, these things will bounce off of him, and we'll have only 5 minutes of escape time. Which means we need a plan that results in getting Trevax off of Malchior, and you all along with him.

*He walked over to Trevax, and placed his hand on his shoulder.*

This is the most important thing, my friends. Klakk won't destroy him. Klakk doesn't normally destroy what intrigues him until he has gained everything he can from it. Giving him this means that our resistance is dead, and the universe will be at the mercy of Klakk, Blackout, and Shepherd knows what else. Is it true that Ynot snapped?

---

*Meanwhile, at the User HQ, a being in a hood sat at a table and sipped what appeared to be tea. He chatted with User MK while observing his surroundings silently. He coughed, and surveyed the area using acute hearing while MK was distracted with his words.*

*He honed in on a source that said 'Klakk'. The conversation was largely indistinct, and he could only make out a few words.*

<Malchior IV>

"You misunderstand, Klak. Injuring him would be perfect, but I just want them to fall down on him. He'd have to dig himself out and break through the debris. That must give us more time." Praxter explained.

-----

<User HQ>

The Architect watched the video, not saying a word until it was over. Suddenly, he began to laugh, an awful, croaking sound that made LM want to cover his ears. Thankfully, it didn't last, as the Architect then broke into a coughing fit.

"I told you all, didn't I? I told you cloning the big guns was a bad idea. They're just too rebellious." he ranted. After basically being ignored by the others for years, being validated was the best thing that could've happened. "And now, at last, you come to me."

"You have found yourself an ally."

Me: Perfect. That will give us just enough time. How far is your ship?

---

*The being narrowed his eyes. Things would be a tad more difficult for him now, but it only meant he had to plan against it. Some Users were biting the hand that was feeding them. They would be punished soon enough.*

(Malchior IV)

"We haven't got one. We use a quicker method of transport now." Praxter smiled. "Shall we go there now?"

Me: Yes. I won't follow you. He'll be after me, and if I run after you, you will have that demon at your tail. Go. Take Trevax with you. Prepare your escape. Once you see him arrive, leave as quickly as you can. His rage and obsession will distract him.

*For the first time in a while, Carter spoke. His accent and voice were somber.*

Carter: "And if you survive?"

Me: Then you'll have more manpower. If not, well, you'll still be a rising force.

*Silence filled the room for a good minute.*

Carter: "Thank you, Makuta Klak. You will always be remembered."

<Malchior IV>

Praxter bowed slightly. "Very well." He went over to Trevax, and lifted him off the table. "Carter, let's go." He turned back to Klak.

"May the Shepherd rest your soul."

*Carter frowned. Inside, he knew this would be the last time he would see Klak in good health. He followed Praxter and the other Knights, who had already said their goodbyes.*

Me: Likewise, amigo. Likewise.

*Klak summoned his Master Keyblade and pulled out a chair. He sat in it, and grinned.*

Me: *he whispered softly* Come at me, you sorry runt. Let's finally end this.

Carter: "*to Praxter* Must we leave another great one to die like this?"

---

*The being in the User World shifted uncomfortably in his seat.*

<Malchior IV>

"Que sera, sera." Praxter replied. "We don't stand a chance against Klakk. The only thing we can do is what we were told; save Klak's legacy and the Resistance."

They arrived at the portal. The other Knights saluted, while quietly examining whatever.....thing Praxter was carrying on his shoulder.

The Toa of Stone leaped into the vortex, and instantly reappeared on Vizima.

-----

"I know, you probably are disinclined to believe me, but the threat posed-" He stopped. Exactly what the Architect said registered on his face. The bespectacled man looked up to the old man, in wonder. No one before had believed him - they laughed him off as a fool for even thinking this endeavor foolish.

And now this man had given him, not only his belief, but his allegiance. His mouth twiched up, into a slight smile. "Good. Unfortunately, he is guarded by the influence of the other Users; in particular, User MK and User MY."

*The mysterious being nodded. Dissent was sowed even here. This would work in his benefit.*

*User MK continued to chatter about things almost entirely on his own. Whatever he was talking about seemed just so interesting to him. But the being couldn't care less.*

*Someone called him, but he had to focus on the situation at hand.*

---

*Klak smiled*

Me: I killed you once, and I might destroy you again if it is meant to be. If not, I will still strike a blow you will never recover from. This is not my fight.

---

*Carter nodded, and stepped into the portal along with the other Knights.*

*The storms on Vizima had subsided, and the fire in the trees was gone.*

*The other Knights crowded around Praxter and observed Trevax. The robot coughed and sputtered as it came to life once more.*

Trevax: "W-Where are we? Where's Klak?"

<Vizima>

Praxter carefully set Trevax down on the ground. "This is Vizima," he said to Trevax, then turned to the Knights. "And this is Trevax. We need to hide him. Now."

-----

<User HQ>

The Architect grinned, revealing his awful, brown teeth. "Oh my, are they really that bad?" he suddenly said, even though there was no possible way he could have seen them. He closed his mouth again, and then grinned again. His teeth were now perfect, like ivory. "Anyway, as for the others, we can deal with them. Which would you say is more committed to the idea?"

Trevax: "Why do you need to hide me? Is this a game? I like games."

*The Knights collectively shake their heads.*

Carter: "Do we take him to arsenal? Or Bunker 314? I like that one."

---

*Wareshu XV trekked out of the university. His research was going quite well. It was time to report it to his benefactors.*

<Vizima>

Praxter smiled. "It's nothing like a game, kid. You'll learn soon." He turned back to Carter. "314? No, we need something even more secure. The old tunnels would be perfect."

"What old tunnels?" one young Knight asked.

"There's a network of tunnels on this planet. We closed them after the Nephilim woke up."

"Nephilim?" the new recruit asked.

"How long have you been here?"

"A week, sir."

"What's your name?"

"Male, sir." he replied.

".....Oh." Praxter groaned.

Trevax: "Okay. Standing by for further instructions."

Carter: "The tunnels? Wonderful. Maybe we will see some Nephilim, da?"

*He jokingly winked at Male*

OOS: I see what you did there.

-----

<Vizima>

"Shepherd, I hope not." Praxter moaned. "Trevax, come on. Carter, Male, you're with me. I hope you're wrong."

*Trevax silently followed. He was built to follow orders, but only for a certain period of time.*

*Carter laughed to himself as he followed Praxter.*

*A shady looking Knight slowly followed them as well.*

<Vizima>

The group arrived, before a collapsed cave. Praxter looked over the rocks carefully. They were all exactly as he and Perseus had left them all those years ago. "Thank the Shepherd." He placed his hand on the rocks, which began to glow and hum ominously.

"It was over two thousand years ago. We never took much notice of the tunnels. A few of us had gone in, but never very deep. Lucky for them. And then one day, odd things started happening. A circle of stones appeared, not far from the camp. That was the circle we now use for transport. Then two new recruits disappeared. It turned out that they had gone into the tunnels alone." His tone dropped. "It was only one Nephilim, but she still inflicted greater casualties on us than anyone else we ever fought. Not even Uterio had managed to kill so many of us."

The rocks began floating upwards. Male looked on in awe as they scattered in all directions, and landed all around them, leaving the entrance clear. The horrible smell of stale air and rotting corpses rushed out of the cave. "It's only gonna get worse inside." He walked in, and immediately bumped into a stalactite. "Bugger." "I have a Ruru." Male suggested, and activated it, illuminating the path ahead.

"Excellent, Male!" Praxter clapped.

And, deep in the tunnels, far away from the Knights, something stirred, sensing new life in this dead environment.

-----

<Teruga Prime>

The Speaker of the Parliament arrived at the launch site an hour early. He wore a fedora and long purple trenchcoat. On any other planet, he would be drawing unnecessary attention to himself, but fortunately, that choice of outfit had recently become very popular in the capital. He didn't want to be recognised, and he really, really wanted to see the result of his plots.

From his seat, he could see three huge warships, a small part of a massive fleet. The government had been building them in secret for years, in collaboration with Mirage and the Coridan. It was technically illegal to expand the fleet without the approval of the Parliament, but what did that matter when Teruga was about to become the brightest star in the firmament?

The public launch was his idea. The "terrorist attack" on the Town Hall was enough to work the people up into a frenzy. They all demanded that the government take revenge on those responsible. They needed to see that it was really happening.

The tribunes were almost empty for now. There were only a few other people there, all of whom had also come up with the idea of arriving as early as possible. He'd have to wait an hour before the spectacle actually started, but it was worth it. All his dreams were about to come true at last.

He closed his eye, and fell fast asleep. The sound of the crowds would wake him up.

Carter: "Lots of history behind this place. We must keep guard. Who knows what we find here?"

*The shady Knight continued to follow them.*

<Vizima>

Male whipped his head from left to right, trying to illuminate as much of the cave as he could. However, he only succeeded in making himself dizzy. "Cut that out." Praxter hissed. "You're not helping anyone. Just point the light in one direction."

"Er, OK....." the young Toa said. His head was still spinning. "So tell me, Male." the Knight leader began. "Do you get much teasing about your name?"

"I do here." "But not back home?" Praxter raised an eyebrow.

"We don't have names like you do." Male said sharply, making it clear he didn't want to talk about this anymore.

They went deeper and deeper into the tunnels. They were around a mile away from the entrance, when Praxter felt a vague unease. He looked around. The cave walls were spattered with the blood of Knights. Their blood had yet to fade after two millennia, much like their memory.

A sound came from the darkness ahead. It was like the flapping of birds' wings, but much more ominous. Praxter stopped, and drew his axe. Male looked at him, and also cocked his Cordak blaster.

<Blackout vs. Ynot>

Kakamu's body shifts and distorts, allowing the spears to pass through several holes in his abdomen, before it returns to its normal state. His eyes glow a bright green that pierce the blackness of space as he extends a hand towards Ynot, and forming it into a fist the lightning bolt that was previously en route to Ynot's head is instead drawn into Kakamu's body.

Kakamu: The gods have merged with the lowly, and the children have slain their parents.

He then uses his telekinetic power to draw two of the spears left floating around towards him, and brandishes one in each hand, charging them with energy.

OOS: I just realized I had originally conceived Carter as a girl. I went back and retconned that post.

*Carter pulled a Cordak Blaster out of a holster that was at his side the whole time. He also pulled out the holster of a lightsaber he had in a back pocket of his. He was prepared for whatever demon would lunge at them. He had to be. They were now in a time of war.*

*The shady Knight silently prepared her hands. If things went wrong, she could always use a blast of lightning. Her cover would be blown, but given the situation...*

*Trevax shuddered and whispered*

Trevax: "I do not like this, Praxter. What if my combat protocols don't work?"

Carter: "*quietly* Combat protocols? I thought he was to be trained like a regular Knight! And wait a minute…*He turned towards the Shady Knight* Male, shine your light at her."

OOS: Waiting on Ynot for the fight.

-----

<Vizima>

Praxter turned around, seeing the shady Knight. "Oh, damn it! Isn't one surprise enough?" Male shrugged, and turned his head, illuminating the shady woman's face.

"Can we do this another time?" Praxter yelled, as the flapping got closer and closer. Finally, a creature burst out of the shadows. It was like a giant bat, but with a head and wings that were more like a dragon's. It shrieked, like something out of a nightmare. Male whipped around and fired his Cordak blaster, without aiming. Most shots missed and flew down the tunnel, but one hit the creature on its left wing, and it crashed to the ground. Praxter leaped next to it, and brought his axe down hard on the injured creature's head, beheading it.

He turned to the shady Knight. In the darkness, spattered with blood, he looked truly menacing. "So, why are you following us?" he asked.

-----

(Teruga Prime)

The Speaker was woken up by the sound of about a dozen men shouting near him. He looked at his watch. The launch was about to start. "Excellent."

A large screen on the other end of the stadium lit up, showing President Una's face. She coughed, and began her speech. "My fellow Terugans. Today we are about to enter a dangerous time. We shall take revenge on those who have so deeply wounded us. At this moment, an armada of one hundred and twenty-two ships is about to be launched towards Tartarus II, which our investigators have concluded was at the source of the attack on our Town Hall. We are sending a message to the rest of the galaxy: leave Teruga alone."

The crowd cheered and applauded at her final words. Once the screen had gone dead, the ships' engines fired, and they blasted off into the sky.

Deep in the crowd, far away from the Speaker, a lone Malchiorian reporter took pictures of the event. Of the crowd, of the departing warships. A few burly Terugans noticed him, and surrounded him. "What are you doing here?" one barked.

"My name's Tom." the Malchiorian stammered. "I'm a reporter. I'm reporting on all this for my paper back on Malchior."

"Yeah, right." another one laughed. He grabbed his camera, and threw it on the ground. "Hey! What are you-"

The other Terugans grabbed Tom by the arms, and dragged him away, still surrounding him completely. As far as anyone could see, it was just a few rude men pushing through the crowd.

What they hadn't noticed was another Malchiorian, further away. She tried to chase after the men, but the crowd was just too thick for her alone. She managed to catch a glimpse of one of the men before they disappeared completely. He was wearing some sort of badge. It was a silver circle with an eye in the middle. It was also the emblem of the Terugan police force.


The men dragged Tom to a corridor, near the toilets, and threw him against a wall. "I don't understand! I haven't done anything!" Tom tried to appeal to reason, to convince these people that he wasn't a threat, but one of them just punched him in the gut.

"Shut up, spy." he drawled, as Tom doubled over in pain. He kicked the Malchiorian in the gut again. Tom felt to the ground, and the other Terugans started kicking him again and again, everywhere.

Carter: "*Silence filled the tunnel after Praxter killed the creature.* Good work, comrade. *He pointed to the shady Knight* She's not one of us. Do you recognize her?"

Trevax: "Dragon tattoo on her left arm. Content analysis shows it's from a foreign source."

Carter: "That's right. Knights don't wear tattoos. And if they do, we're commanded to never, ever, have a symbol like that on them."

*The shady Knight filled her hands with electricity. Carter quickly pulled a roundhouse kick, and knocked her against the wall of the tunnel. She fell unconscious.*

Trevax: "Hey, you hit a girl!!"

Carter: "No. I hit a criminal and a spy."

---

*Back on Malchior IV, a news organization attempted to contact its reporter, who had suddenly gone dark.*

<Vizima>

Praxter groaned. "Cuff her or something. We can't leave her, and I'd rather not go back to the camp now. We'll just have to take her along for now."

He awkwardly stepped over the odd creature's corpse. "Be ready for anything. There must be more of these things down there."

-----

<Teruga Prime>

It was over in a manner of minutes. The men walked away, leaving Tom in a growing puddle of his own blood, coughing. He tried to call for help, but all he could muster up was a weak whimper, like a dying bird.

The woman ran into the corridor, too late. She knelt down next to Tom. "Run, Clara....." Tom groaned. "Run."

*Carter nodded, and slung the rogue Toa of Lightning onto his shoulder.*

Trevax: "I got a bad feeling about this."

<Vizima>

"Don't we all?" Male muttered. "Don't we all?"

Soon, they arrived at a large cavern, with a huge glowing globe that looked like a fireball hanging from the ceiling. Several dozen creatures like the one they killed a second ago were dangling from the ceiling. "What the hell?" Male almost shrieked. Praxter shushed at him. "Don't wake them up!" He walked almost on the tips of his toes, trying to make as little noise as possible.

-----

<Teruga Prime>

Clara cradled Tom's head in her arms as he coughed and died. Clara got up, only to find about five men blocking the corridor. The same men who killed Tom.

"Well, well, well!" one of them laughed. "I told you guys that another one would come if we just left him alone!"

Clara looked them up and down. They were all wearing police uniforms. They knew nobody was going to touch them. Reasoning with them wasn't worth it. She pulled out her phone, snapped a picture of the men, and ran away, as fast as she could.

Carter: "Ой-ой."

*Trevax silently gazed at the beasts as he passed by.*

*Anatoliy Carter whispered to Praxter as silently as he could.*

Carter: "What are these things? I'm too young to know what a Nephilim is."

<Vizima>

Praxter turned his head to Carter, and whispered back. "Those aren't Nephilim. They're their.....pets, if you will. For all I know, there might not be any Nephilim left alive. Shepherd, I hope she was the only one."

"Yeah, but I think he wanted to know what the Nephilim are." Male said.

They reached the other end of the cavern, and continued down the tunnel. While they weren't looking, one creature opened its eyes. It looked at them for a second, and then fell asleep again.

"Okay." the Toa of Stone began. "The Nephilim are an ancient race. Not as ancient as Malygos, but close. They were leaders of a vast empire, but for some reason, they abandoned it. Some of them chose to live out the rest of their days underground, but most of them just disappeared."

-----

<Teruga Prime>

Clara ran. She didn't want to stay out in the open any longer than she needed to. She got into her rented car, and drove away, fast.

She sighed. Her long black hair was absolutely soaked with sweat. She had to make it to the Malchiorian embassy.


She pulled up in front of a huge, odd-looking building. Modern architecture was in style on Malchior IV at the time. It was terribly embarrassing, and absolutely everyone wanted to be rid of it. However, they couldn't really justify building a whole new embassy just because the old one was ugly.

Clara got out, and hammered on the front door. A receptionist opened. "Yes?"

"I need to see the Ambassador. As soon as you can, please."

"Wait!" he said. "Who are you?"

"Clara Edison, from the Times." she said, showing a little badge. "We have a serious problem."

".....Fine. I'll call him."

-----

OOS: Klak, you can take the Ambassador.

He pondered for a second, pushing up his glasses with his slender forefinger and middle finger. It was a motion he seemed to do whenever he was deep in thought. "MY. MK is simply deluded, but I have a feeling that MY has plans of his own beyond simply overthrowing Ynot." That bastard was always making plans, always making sure he and his came out on top...so what the hell could he be planning? Klakk wasn't one of his...

<User HQ>

The Architect smiled. "So you say he's planning other things? Interesting. So he's not the one we need to be worried about, MK is. He must be the one we concentrate on."

The old User stood up, and scratched the back of his head. It was his own little tic, something he did whenever he was about to say something important. "I'm going to need to leave this place.....oh my. Lots of memories. Ah, well, can't be helped. Let's get out of here." he said, pulling a pen-like device out of a drawer. "Let's go."

He marched out, not really waiting for LM until he had left the house altogether. He'd forgotten what houses looked like from outside. That was a feat in itself. How did I let myself fall so far, he thought. As it turned out, he just needed something big to be a part of to live again. "Come on, LM! There's no time to lose!" he yelled.

LM frowned. "No, Architect, I don't think-" He saw the older man marching out. Damn it. He quickly ran to catch up. What is he doing...

"Don't underestimate MY. I am almost entirely certain that his plan involves Klakk's rise. Otherwise he wouldn't interfere with Ynot's power, given how Ynot is in an excellent position right now." He shook his head. "No. He's playing a much longer game, and it is likely to be to our disadvantage to ignore him."