Dragon Ball: Untold IC

[Britanania]

North City, the Earth, 509 AU

As Ikki sped away, no doubt to combat the mutant leader, Spicer laid his head back down on the rubble where the Saiyan left him. The stimpak was doing its job well enough, but it lacked the soothing effects of a regular medical machine--certainly fine for an in-the-field use but given the extent of Spicer's injuries a less-than-ideal solution. And so, as Spicer suffered from the pain of his body's healing without any other aid, the Saiyan merely closed his eyes again.

---

Twenty-eight years ago...
Station Alpha, 481 AU

Station Alpha.

The centre of the PTO and the heart of the Milky Way Galaxy, officially the seat of the recently-crowned Emperor Kalt's vast empire and a major financial and trading hub. Here, millions of representatives, assistants, and aides lived and sustained the vast and complex machinations of the PTO's network of trading partners, government apparata, and bureaucracy.

Amid the hustle and bustle of the artificial satellite that floated above the supermassive black hole at the centre of the galaxy, Saiyan refugees were being processed. It had been some months since their homeworld's destruction, but every day new Saiyans were being brought to Station Alpha. According to the best estimates, over 90% of the Saiyan population was lost, and many of the survivors were still unaccounted for, and the PTO called for as many as possible to return to Station Alpha for a census of sorts.

And so it was that a six-year-old Saiyan orphan wandered into the processing line...

[The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune]

Danu

Danu awoke with a start, keenly aware of the rough feeling of chafing around her neck. Reaching her hand up to the source of the pain, Danu found the collar still firmly attached to her neck. Attempting to rip it off, she was rewarded by a fierce burning sensation when she tried to use Ki to increase her strength as she had done hundreds, if not thousands of times before in her life. The pain roared through her as Danu fell to the ground, clutching the collars as a noiseless scream rippled from her mouth. When the pain at last began to ebb, Danu finally decided to take in her surroundings.

She was in a small cell made of black metal, with circuits running across it and up the walls, bathing the room in a pale purple light. Runes similar to the one in her collar seemed to be carved into the walls at regular intervals, especially around the door, or rather the doorway where a purple forcefield covered the way out. A window revealed a dark city illuminated by the pale light of a dwarf star.

The forcefield that covered the doorway suddenly melted away, revealing a figure in a similar dark cloaked outfit to the one that had put the infernal collar around her neck. This one was shorter however, and was flanked by two guards in dark armor that seemed much more appropriate than whatever cult robe the figure was wearing. A deep voice, clearly modified to hide the identity of the speaker came from behind the liquid shadows of the figures hooded face. It said calmly “It appears you have already discovered your restraints primary purpose. You will comply with my commands, or you will find out their secondary.”

Danu looked at the figure and spat “Let me guess, you want me to bow or something.” Suddenly, an electrical pain shot through Danu’s body starting at the neck. A noiseless scream came from her mouth as her nervous system lit up with pain. The figure knelt next to the now fetal Danu, panting as the pain faded from her body.

The shadowy Maykyan spat “Such insolence. You are lucky that we are a merciful species, Queen Chay, and that you hold such a status. Otherwise you would have woken up in otherworld, and not this cell. Now come, it is time for your trial.” Before Danu could protest, she felt herself lifted up by the collar, choking her as she was forced to follow the shadowy figure.

---

The hallways of whatever building she was in seemed to stretch forever. They were sparse, undecorated save for abstract magical art that sometimes illuminated the black walls, or the occasional window revealing the dark cityscape outside. Danu walked fast to keep the collar from choking her as she followed the cloaked figure, with the two guards tailing her. Any further attempts to ask questions were met with the same nerve shock as before for “insolence” and “delaying her sentence”.

Finally they came to another doorway. The forcefield in it melted away, revealing a massive court room, filled with opulently adorned Maykyans, a few demons, Hators, what looked like a few Tuffles, and even what Danu thought might be a Torhan or two. A coalition of everyone she hated by the looks of it. Danu was brought to a dais in the center of the room, where her manacles were chained to the ground. A grey skinned figure sat at a large raised desk at the head of the room, a jagged crown made of black metal and red gems sitting upon his head. He sneered down at Danu as he banged an ugly mace and his rumbling voice spread through the courtroom, “ORDER, I WILL HAVE ORDER IN MY COURT. The accused stands ready for trial. Let the record show I, Emperor Sanguivar Secundus of House Relvar, shall sit as presiding officer of justice during this occasion.”

The Emperor paused and cleared his throat before continuing, “We shall proceed in the normal course of a trial. The court’s prosecutors shall deliver the story of the accused’s crimes, the witnesses shall corroborate the facts of the case, and then I shall deliver my verdict. Of course however, we must open with the listing of charges, and the statement of the accused. Archbishop Noctis, please present the charges being levelled upon Queen Chay of the PTO today.”

Danu had to bite her tongue to keep from talking. As much as she wanted to burst out screaming, it wouldn’t exactly accomplish much right now, and she at least wanted to be aware of herself when they levelled the death penalty on her, not in a quivering puddle of pain on the dais.

A purple Maykyan wearing the shadowy cloak of the figures who had collared her and led Danu here over a black set of armor stepped forward. Danu could not determine the gender of the creature until a distinctly masculine voice escaped it’s lips. “The Accused stands before us today on the nature of these crimes, in ascending order of terribleness. No less than 500 counts of general larceny, No less than 100 counts of murder of citizens of the Freehold, No less than 1000 counts of murder of Citizens of the Principality of Plant, 142 counts of general piracy and degenracy, and above all else, loyalty to the Demon Empress.”

Some of the Tuffle delegation rolled their eyes at the last charge. Danu had to stifle a giggle at this. Even her enemies couldn’t agree on much it seemed. The Emperor seemed far less amused. Looking her up and down, he spat with malice in his voice “Speak to me then, Chay of Sadala. What does the Queen of the Saiyans have to say for herself.”

Danu looked him in the eyes as she said with matching malice “First of all, my name isn’t Chay. Second of all, oh mighty Emperor, you can take this sham trial, and shove it so far up your ass that it’ll wind up back in Maikai. That way my friends will bust me-” Danu was cut off by the nerve attack of her collar going off. Noctis had extended his hand, clearly the one now pulling the strings on her.

He said calmly “That’s enough out of you for now. Let us proceed with the facts of the case shall we?”

For the next two hours, Noctis weaved the story of all Danu had seemingly done in Maykyan and Tuffle space since she had first joined the PTO under Spicer’s wing years ago. Danu couldn’t deny any of it even if they didn’t shock her every time she opened her mouth. She had done all of it, even if the Maykyan was leaving out details such as her victims being other pirates, or slavers, or harboring a dangerous war criminal, or being enemy combatants. Then the witnesses began to come forward. Maykyans, Hators, the Torhans, and the Tuffles. Danu didn’t recognize any of them. She was surprised that any of them were alive if their stories were true. Until the last witness.

“The court calls to the stand Omegon the Hator.” A cloaked figure stepped forward, removing it’s hood as it did so. Danu cursed loudly, earning her another shock. X-9 stepped over her writhing body, not showing any sign of particularly caring as he approached the stand.

“I am witness to the Massacre on Planet Caelia” started the Hator when Noctis began to question him. Danu tried to interject at several points during the testimony, earning herself more and more shocks. By the end of X-9’s confessional, Danu no longer had the strength to stand, only kneel before the Maykyan Emperor, his prosecutor lackey, and her archenemy. The Emperor’s face grew a sadistic grin as he said “Well, I think I have heard all I desired to. I have decided on a sentence for the wretch before us. She stands… well kneels before this court, and the court finds her guilty on all charges. As such, we place upon her the highest punishment this court distributes. Sale… to the highest bidder.” The Maykyans in the room exploded into cheers. The Tuffles and Torhans looked more confused than anything else, and the Hators gave no response, save for X-9, who turned to the Emperor from the stand and said in a hushed voice that Danu overheard “This was not our deal.”

The Emperor gave some response that Danu could not hear, before her collar began to pull her back, into the crowd, and into the hallway she had entered the room from. She had seemingly escaped death for the moment… though she had to admit, she would have preferred that outcome to what lay before her. Slavery… she grew more and more disgusted by her new predicament by the minute as she was presumably dragged toward wherever they would hold her auction.

[Finland SSR]

Star Sheriff Ikki

---

Noah stared down at Ikki, a faint smile on its face - Ikki, meanwhile, watched his opponent's slightest twitch with a very faint beak of sweat forming on his face. Even right now, before they even came to blows, the power emanating from it was hard to bear - and if Ovan couldn't take it down, would he be able to do any more?

"I've heard a lot about you," Noah spoke, then struck a faint frown. "Mostly of ways I am not you."

"...How... so?" Ikki forced it out, somewhat confused. Where did the bio-android try to lead with that...?

"Our father thought you are dead, and probably still does," was the explanation he got from Noah. "So here I am, designed as something which would be a fine enough replacement. Both for him and for Earth - unfortunately, the former does not seem to have worked out." It did not satisfy Ikki, however, so he clenched his fists and yelled out:

"If you think being the lesser child means you can-"

"It means nothing to me." Noah suddenly shut Ikki down. "I merely explained where we stand. I was not programmed to mope about family relations, I was programmed to act."

Just in time before the conversation could escalate into a full clash, a portal gate opened above Ikki and Noah, letting out Liz - and before either of them could react, be it by relief for more aid coming their way, or a hasty defense against a yet another enemy, the woman charged. Flying faster than sound, crafting a scythe from dark energy and diving down with her weapon in tow.

"Liz, wait-"

The trail of a powerful slash rolled across the air, followed by the sound of flesh and bone cut. Noah's head fell onto the ground, rolling for several meters before finally stopping in front of Ikki's feet. Anticlimactic, perhaps, but victory? Ikki sighed in relief, at least, dropping his guard for just a second.

Noah's body refused to fall to the ground, however, continuing to stand. Biomass bubbled in its neck stump, before suddenly exploding in a mass of flesh and fluids - and then, immediately, the bio-android's hand reached out to grab Liz by the throat.

His head was back and Noah operated without abate, as if it had not just been cleanly removed ten seconds ago - glands inside its palm were pumping the same DNA modifying chemicals which his fellow mutants transfer upon bite, aiming to transform Liz into one of their own.

"We... we have to get out of here!" Ikki yelled, still in shock, as his eyes glanced from the decapitated head to Noah and back. "And quick!"

[Britanania]

Station Alpha, 481 AU

Amidst the bustle of the processing room and corridors, a small creature floated through. Scarcely above half a metre tall, the pink lizard-like alien moved about the room in a small pod, flanked by a team of soldiers. Not that she needed any protection--at only five years of age, Princess Glacia was more than a match more the average Saiyan warrior, and the sight of any Arcosian--even a child--was a sight of fear among most beings in the galaxy.

"Princess, you shouldn't wander off like this," one of the soldiers protested as they waded through the building. The young Arcosian merely waved a delicate hand and spoke in her high-pitched and airy voice.

"Qox'eins you worry far too much. Uncle Kalt said we must extend every courtesy to the Saiyans, and meeting them here seems the ultimate courtesy," the princess explained. The soldiers had little in the way of arguing with the strong-willed princess, and of course, upsetting an Arcosian at any age was a terrible mistake, and thus let Glacia be.

Passing through the room, Glacia inspected the various Saiyans lined about. All of them were largely the same--dark hair and eyes, tails, and stern-looking faces characteristic of the noble race.

Ah, and so full of sorrow, Glacia noted. Sadala's destruction came as a complete shock to the wider galaxy, and the loss of so many Saiyans was proving somewhat destabilising, coming so quickly after Arctica's death--and the death of her own father.

Maybe that's what she was thinking of when Glacia laid eyes on a young Saiyan by himself, standing erect, alert, and with dead-looking eyes. It didn't take a genius to realise that this Saiyan, like so many others, was an orphan, but there was something about him that intrigued the princess. He carried himself with a rigidness that suggested much power, but Glacia could sense a deep uncertainty about him--his eyes gave that much away.

And he looks terribly lonely...

The small lizard-like creature moved her pod towards the Saiyan and positioned it eye-level to her young counterpart.

"Good afternoon," she greeted. "I am--"

"Princess Glacia, daughter of Glacies," the Saiyan finished, leading to a surprised smile from the Arcosian.

"You know who I am?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow. The Saiyan did not look her in the eyes.

"I know all of the Arcosians, Your Highness," he continued. "I am...honoured to meet you." The Saitan gave a stiff and formal bow to the princess, and Glacia found herself chuckling despite herself.

"I am impressed, and to whom am I speaking?" she questioned.

"S-Spicer, son of Tymus," the boy answered.

"Well, Spicer, I find you most interesting." The Arcosian turned to her attendants. "Have his things brought to a room near the Royal Dormitories. I wish to converse more with this Saiyan."

---

A few weeks later

"You are going to try and join the Royal Guard?"

Spicer nodded. The Saiyan had spent the past few weeks largely with the Arcosian princess and her younger sister, Floe.

"I--I want to repay the kindness His Majesty has shown the Saiyans," he explained. "It is the least I can do."

Glacia considered Spicer's words.

"The recruiting grounds in on Carrion Prime," she pointed out. "The ancient Arcosian training planet. A harsh place, with many wild beasts, extreme temperatures, and difficult terrain, with gravity that would kill a less being."

Spicer nodded.

"Yes, but it's the only way. I'll survive, and become a true Saiyan warrior."

[Naval Monte]

North City, the Earth, 509 AU

Elizabeth allowed a cocky grin to be etched on her face. She avenged the people turned into monsters by Kita's latest monstrosity and was able to finally prove to Noah, and to the universe as a whole, that she was no longer the weak little succubus who can barely defeat a machine on her own. On this day she would save the world and not have that achievement be ignored and forgotten.

"Where did that come from?"

The cambion pondered as the scythe dissipate into wisps of energy, her grip loosing. Elizabeth dropped her guard as victory seem to be assured. She was about to turn to face Ikki and tackle the Saiyan to the down for a big hug when her senses suddenly went wild.

"Turn around you idiot!"

Amatsu's voice echo inside her head as she turned and saw that Noah's body was still standing. The neck was a bubbling mess, like a boiling cauldron, before fluids and meat erupted out like a volcano. The shower of gore would have some of Noah's fluids land on Elizabeth due to her close proximity. The sight served not only to make the cambion disgusted but also a distraction as she didn't see the hand reach out until it was too late to dodge, the bio-android grabbing her by the neck.

Elizabeth let out a gasp as she can feel her windpipe being restricted. The witch began to scratch at the bio-android, her nails tearing through the skin and leaving trails of bleeding cuts in their wake. Elizabeth would cough out a strange chemical from her mouth. She can feel something entering her body.

"No! That can't be what I think it is!"

Dread traveled throughout her body as she realized what it was that Noah was injecting into her body. The mutagen that created all of the mutants that attacked both the North Base and North City.

The same mutagen that was now inside Nymphaea and changing her into a monster.

The very same one that would now turn her into a freak like all of his victims.

Elizabeth's struggle grew more frantic as she kept slashing at the bio-android, kicking him, slapping and bashing with her wings and tail.

All sense of reason seem to have left the cambion as she was now acting like a desperate and cornered animal fighting with everything it got to avoid it's inevitable death.

But as she did veins began to bulge out. Her eyes almost popped out, her arms and legs ceased as they became stiff. The gasps from the witch was becoming in raspy groans as her body seem to be changing.

Scales were growing on her body, black scales. Horns were also growing from the top of her head as her old ones fell off. Even her wings and tail was changing

Elizabeth was mutating in front of Ikki's and Ovan's eyes.

Yet while it seem to be that Noah was winning on the inside something else was happening. As her DNA was being forcibly altered a current of dark energy would travel throughout her body. When the current made contact with the chemical agents not within Elizabeth's DNA it would vaporize them in an instant. The DNA that was compromise was more resilient however. Multiple strikes occurred as tendrils of shadows penetrated the weaken strands and began to change them, expelling the agent out and changing the strands.

As this struggle for dominance was waged Elizabeth began to spasm as a dark aura would erupt from her body. The aura would rise until it began to change shape. From it two large wings unfurled as three serpentine heads look down at the bio-android. Their red glowing lights that they use for eyes stared at the cycle's single eye.

Noah would feel Elizabeth grab his wrist, her claws digging into his flesh, drawing at blood. Her red eyes began to glow as her pupils dilated to resemble those of a serpent's eyes.

"That trick won't work on me, abomination." Her voice changed, becoming much darker, more menacing than before, more alarming Noah would hear two different voices, Elizabeth's and others even though this other voice sounded almost like Elizabeth. Not sure her voice but her energy signature as well. If Noah attempted to establish mental dominance over Elizabeth he would realize that something was pushing him away from the witch's mind. Another presence. "Besides. I hate sharing the same vassal." the draconic aura would pull back it's heads and let out a roar.

In an instant a pillar of dark energy would surround Elizabeth. The force would send everyone and everything around her flying as it seem to be blowing out a strong gale. Noah would feel the hand he used to hold Liz go numb, the numbness spreading through his arm. The reason would soon make itself clear. His hand was gone and the flesh close to it was now decaying.

The sky would darken once the pillar touched the skies, black and red lightning bolts would flash across the darken sky. The dark power of whatever entity was residing within Elizabeth was making its presence known as everyone can sense it.

The pillar would begin to shrink down to a sphere of dark energy that would burst open, unleashing a powerful blast and flash of light. Covering the area a cloud of dust and debris.

As showers of dirt and debris would assault everyone out on the open the dark presence would begin to vanish as the sky was now clearing up. The sound of someone throwing up would fill the mutant and two fighter's ears as the the dust cloud began to dissipate.

Standing where Elizabeth was they would see the cambion standing hunch over. Her dark and revealing attire now replaced with one that was red. Her long dark hair now being white. Her pair of wings now grow to two, and her tail and horns also changed. A form that was new to Ovan, this one would be instantly familiar to Ikki, as he helped Elizabeth attain it.

Noah would not only see the new form Elizabeth was in but also see that what Elizabeth was expelling out was black sludge tinged with both blood and most shockingly for him the mutagenic chemical.

Elizabeth's golden eyes stared at him, her aura feeling like both herself and Amatsu's.

"Looks like Kita never accounted that someone will find a way to be immune to your trick Noah." the voice of both Elizabeth and the dragon was heard at the same time. "Also the only Kita that is allowed to dominate me is your brother." she would fire a blast of dark energy at Noah.

Elizabeth turned to face Ikki, dribble of the black sludge on the corners of her mouth. "I can't tell if you have the best or worst timing on coming back." she said in a joking manner.

She raised her hand and a portal would appear. "I know one place he won't find us in!"

In her mind she thought of Maikai but she realize in everyone's state the dark energy of the realm would kill the seriously injured. The other location she thought to was one they used back in the previous global incident. A place in truth she rather not return to.

Luna. Specifically the Royal Apartments.

[Britanania]

Collab feat. Saint

North City, 509 AU

“Is that the last mutant in this sector?” The winged superhero turned to his brother, tossing the mangled body of the monster behind him. Castor nodded to Pollux, similarly tossing aside another equally beat-up mutant to the side.

“Yeah, I think so. Where’s sis, anyway? Things are getting pretty hectic and we could use the help.”

His brother shrugged.

“Well, seeing as there’s a big power signature at the centre of town, she's probably over there.”

“...touche. In any event, did you see Spicer fighting that giant bug? That was pretty sick.”

“Yeah, but we haven’t seen anything of him since they both went down. Think we should check it out?”

“Yeah, probably. Serena would kill us if we let him die and did nothing.”

The boys flew off towards where they last saw Spicer fighting the mutant, just in time to see Ikki leaving and flying off to confront his mutant clone, but not noticing the two superheroes. Regardless, the two landed into the rubble where they left Spicer.

“Shoot, he looks pretty messed up,” Pollux said as he helped the wounded Saiyan.

“Is he dead?” Castor asked as he approached Spicer.

“Nah, but he needs a medical machine, probably. I dunno, I’m not a Saiyan doctor.”
Castor slapped Spicer’s face a few times, to get a reaction.

“Spicer, you awake?”

---

Carrion Prime, 481 AU

“Finally awake?”

Spicer stirred as he opened up his eyes, briefly looking out of the window as he did so. The large spacecraft was finally making its descent on Carrion Prime, although the thick atmospheric clouds obscured his view of the planet.

“I asked if you’re awake, stupid,” the voice replied, dripping with sarcasm, a Saiyan girl about Spicer’s age pouted. Another girl, sitting next to her, punched her in the arm.

“He’s obviously awake, Rads, don’t need to badger him.”

“I was just making sure Bietz,” Rads replied, sticking her tongue out at her friend. Spicer, meanwhile, stretched his neck and turned to the two Saiyaness as they continued to bicker about what Spicer didn’t know and didn’t care.

“Yeah, I was just thinking about home,” he said simply. The two girls stopped, quieting themselves and looking at the Saiyan. After a few moments of silence, Rads spoke back up with her usual bravado.

“Well, thinking about that won’t get you anywhere. If you want to survive on Carrion Prime, that is. We’re the future now, and we need to look forward.”

Bietz, meanwhile, looked back at Spicer and offered the Saiyan a smile.

“We can keep their memory alive by living our warrior traditions, Spicer.”

The Saiyan boy didn’t reply, he merely kept his eyes trained on the window as the ship landed on a plateau, 5,000 metres tall and stretching over 10,000 km2. The plateau rose out of a vast, planet encompassing jungle, thick with foliage, and nearly reaching the top of the plateau.

As the ship neared, Spicer noted there looked to be a small base in the centre of the mesa. It was there that the ship landed, and Spicer, alongside his two Saiyan companions and about a hundred others, including a few Namekians, the odd Heran or two, and even a Tohran, made their way to the command centre, where they were met by two Arcosians

Spicer gulped as he saw the pair. Glacia warned him that two of her relatives would be her, but seeing two adult Arcosians was quite a sight, and it took all of his energy to stop shaking. The candidates lined up in front of the two Arcosians, and the green-hued one, sitting in the characteristic pod, looked over the recruits and then at his relative.

“Slim pickings this time around, Fuar, although perhaps with enough time we can augment them,” he said in a chilling manner that sent shivers down Spicer’s spine. The other Arcosian, however, merely smiled as he inspected them.

“No, I don’t think we’ll have a need for that, Polara.” While Polara’s voice was chilling with the cold calculation of a scientist looking over a dead specimen this Arcosian’s voice was haunting in a different sense. Spicer had no doubt that this one viewed them not as insects, but as microbes.

The sinister Arcosian cleared his throat.

“Royal Guard Candidates,” he called out bombastically. “You have been selected for your final crucible here on Carrion Prime. Already the high gravity and density will have begun affecting you, and in the coming days and weeks will test your limits--physical and mental. I, Fuar, shall be your instructor here. Make no mistake, many of you will die, and that is a sacrifice the PTO is willing to make.”

“Although your deaths will advance our scientific prowess,’ Polara interrupted. “And perhaps if you are still alive, barely, you can be salvaged.”

Fuar’s smile grew somewhat at his cousin’s words but he continued.

“Over the course of the next year, we shall subject you to training more intense than anything you have yet faced.”

Spicer heard murmuring around him from the company, and even he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Fuar clapped his hands together.

“Dismissed.”

---

True to the Arcosian’s words, the following year was a true living hell for Spicer and his companions. Carrion Prime did not have a typical night and day cycle, being in a binary system, ensuring at that planet was nearly always drenched in sunlight. He and his fellow candidates were expected to sleep with less than two standard hours of rest a night. Drills and obstacles courses in the jungles below served as the primary training regimen, as well as learning to fight unarmed and energy-based. Fuar himself took pleasure in defeating the candidates, in a cruel and sadistic fashion, but other instructors took part as well. Food was scarce, and beatings were common. Every week, the company was expected to last a two-day 50 km march through the jungle, where the high gravity, atmospheric pressure, and heat weighed on them. Flight, a common ability, was nearly impossible.

Within the first month, twenty recruits died. At six months, scarcely half were alive. It was time now for the hardest test--they were to be dropped off at the planet’s equator and need to survive in the jungle on a trek back to the base on the northern pole of Carrion Prime. They would have six months to complete the mission, to put everything they learned to the test, and survive.

The night before their final mission, Spicer, alongside Rads and Biez and a young Namekian named Tooba gathered in their dormitories, chatting and discussing the future. Typical of the young Saiyan, Spicer said little, letting the Saiyanesses dominate the conversation until Tooba asked him a pointed question.

“You don’t seem like a typical guardsman, Spicer. You aren’t as fast or strong as Rads, or confident as Bietz. What compelled you to join?”

Spicer was quiet for a moment.

“I joined...so I could repay my service to the PTO, to Emperor Kalt, and to serve his family.” Now, it was the others who were quiet, until Rads burst out laughing.

“Oh, you were serious about that Spicy? Man, I can’t believe you.” Spicer felt his face turn red, as he looked down at his boots.

“I think it’s a noble path,” Tooba replied. “And the Arcosians would be glad to have an honourable warrior in their midst.”

Rads stopped her laughing, and with a shrug got up.

“Well, we better steel ourselves. This might be the last time we see each other alive…”

---

North City, 509 AU

The angelic twins continued their path towards the centre of the city, where they soon caught sight of the battle between Noah and the others.

“Yikes, he looks pretty ugly,” Castor mentioned.

“You’re not kidding. Hey, there’s sis!”

Serena turned to hear her brothers, catching her breath as she saw the sight Spicer was in, but, confident in her magical sense of perception, realised he was all right.

Nothing I can’t fix later, she thought, just as she heard Liz call out and form a portal. It was do or die, it seemed, and Serena had no intention of staying and fighting Noah alone.

Too much damage had already been dealt here. We have no choice but to retreat and plan a counterattack...

Serena flew into the portal, and her brother followed behind, landing in the familiar locale of the Royal Apartments.

[Finland SSR]

Star Sheriff Ikki

---

A portal whizzed, opened and revealed a view of the other side - the royal apartments of Luna, the Moon, which Queen Serena and her family had turned into a second home. After a final sigh in relief of seeing Liz resist the bio-android's attempt at taking her over - and also noting its ability to turn other people into more of their own - Ikki hopped through the portal, all while picking up Ovan by the collar to take him as well.

Knowing his friend, he would rather stay in the battle even in this knocked down state - but if they want to save Earth from Noah, they would much rather make a plan for this in advance. The Saiyan and the demoness were soon joined by the rest of the team, who were hardly in any better condition, or mood. Though... one person was oddly missing.

"Where's... Nymph?" Ikki muttered, worry in his voice. The Saiyan briefly shook his head to clear it of the thoughts, then continued:

"I'm... sorry, everyone. I was the only one close enough to my father to ever possibly suspect what he was doing, much less stop him - and... yet I did not." Perhaps, if he had not vanished for so long, leaving everyone certain that he was dead, then none of this would have happened. After all, that... thing spoke about how his father resorted to the Noah option after his "death"... "And, knowing Dad, it's been designed to have as little weaknesses as possible. If it's even possible to kill it, then the only person who would know how is..."

Ikki went silent, then suddenly called out.

"Where did that thing show up for the first time?"

[The Republic of Atria]

Ovan

Once again, Ikki came out of nowhere to try and help. Though Ovan felt he wasn't going to do anything to Noah that he hadn't already tried. Not that he was going to stop him from trying, and give himself a minute or two to catch his breath. The pair were talking about the fact that they were technically brothers. The conversation was brief, and he was distracted by Liz getting bitten by one of the mutants. At first he just that it was a bite wound that they'd just have to take care of, but then she began rapidly mutating. Which made him a little alarmed, but there was already so much crap to worry about.

He grimaced at her transforming into something similar to that dragon form he fought her in awhile back, though it looked as if it had been tweaked. He wasn't a fan of people tampering with crap that was barely understood at the best of times, and the two biggest world destroying examples were about to fight, but he could sense that the power difference, even between him and Liz, was such that she wouldn't last very long against Noah either. She apparently knew that because her next course of action was to open a portal for them to all escape through.

Not that he had any plans at all of running away. The last time they did that, they just left the villains alone to wreak havoc. It happened with Riker and it's happening again. He wasn't going. "You all figure something out! I'm not going anywhere!" He called out and turned his attention back to Noah. He knew he couldn't beat him, but that wasn't going to stop him. He couldn't beat Fuar. He couldn't beat Floe. He couldn't beat Raguel or the other angel whose name slipped his mind. But he was a survivor, he'd survived then, and he'd survive now.

"It's going to take more than a jumped up lab freak and an army to take me down." He spat. A whole what? Two minutes had passed? Not enough time to fully recover, not even close, but he'd make do.

[Naval Monte]

---

Elizabeth was catching her breath now that she was in the royal apartments. Several troopers from AEGIS was arriving to the scene. Their white colors covered in maroon patterns that often covered entire portions of their bodies and their helmets looking different from most of the troopers down on Earth. The troopers thought they had intruders but they lowered their weapons once they saw the group.

"The prince consort is injured! Take him to the hospital now!" the commander of the group order as some of the troopers rushed over to Spicer to carry him off.

Elizabeth had hands on her knees as she can feel every nerve in her body feeling both cold and hot at the same time. She hate to admit it but fighting off the mutation took too much energy from her. She remember this form being far more powerful than how she feels now.

"I should have picked the Lookout. I could have snatch one of Ralla's hot peppers for a quick pick me up."

The cambion almost chuckled at the thought but Ikki's question put heed to the action and any humor she had.

"Where's... Nymph?" Ikki muttered, worry in his voice.

Elizabeth's expression dropped when she heard those words. She would straighten her back as she rolled her head.

As she heard Ikki apologize for his father's actions and how he could have stayed with his father longer so he knew what was going on with him and maybe prevent his father from creating Noah to create a new son. As he explained how his father most likely made it without any weaknesses, possibly making it immortal, he would soon ask where Noah first arrived.

Elizabeth sighed as she turned to face Ikki.

"I found him and his merry band of freaks in one of AEGIS's bases. The Northern one. He and the others didn't break in as we found no signs of that being the case. Instead they were breaking out. Somehow they were in a level that I didn't know existed. Which suggests either some people in my own organization are hiding things from me or someone else added that level." From her tone it was clear that she didn't like either option. However in her mind she already suspected on which one is the most likely answer and can even guess who was responsible for this.

"As for Nymph..." she look down. "She's... she's gone." her voice almost cracked as she said those words.

"Those damn mutants got her when she tried to save my sorry butt." she looked at Ikki, her eyes glowing yellow

"And I'm going back to put an end to this mess and turn my sister back." she would turn to face the portal.

"Ikki. When this is over I think you should spend less time fighting for the galaxy and more with your family." she took a glance at him. "If your father is able to make this mess just because you were gone for long enough to make him think you were dead then I didn't want to imagine how your long absence will affect our kids." she told him before looking back at the portal.

"Tell Shepard and the other commanders to leave the city now. North City is beyond saving. We have to bomb it to destroy the mutant infestation before it can spread." she told the commander as she was preparing to enter the portal.

[Britanania]

Carrion Prime, 481 AU

If Spicer and his comrades thought that their first months of training were a living hell, the survival through Carrion Prime's jungle, to reach the plateau, exceeded their nightmares. With less than an hour of sleep, Fuar and his men awoke what remained of the company, put them on a shuttle, and dropped them into the jungle with enough provisions to last a few hours, at most.

From there, with little direction, they were put to the ultimate test of physical and mental endurance. As the journey began, even if Spicer wanted to fly, he found himself physically unable to. The gravity on Carrion Prime was many times that of Sadala, perhaps ten or twenty times. He had been training on the world for several months, but not enough to acclimate to its gravity. The atmosphere was heavy a thick, making it difficult to breathe, with humidity that pressure that was migraine-inducing.

And even worse were the creatures. Monsters from the Id. Every manner of horror and grotesque creature imaginable stalked and hunted the company.

There are things here I've only seen in my nightmares, Spicer thought as he huddled inside a hollowed-out tree, trying to say awake and keeping watch. Things I can't even imagine; things I can't even see... He heard a terrifying scream, the sounds of agony he knew not where, but he prayed to whatever gods that listened that he would be safe.

---

Slowly, often fraught with danger, Spicer limped forward, climbing the final leg of the journey to the plateau. Exhausted, tired, Spicer caught a small group waiting. Fuar, Polara, Tooba, and Rads.

"Congratulations on finally making it, Recruit Spicer," Fuar told him in a detached manner.

"Another live one," Polara added. "I'm surprised this runt survived."

Spicer looked around after catching his breath, his brow furrowed.

"Where's Bietz," he asked the surviving company and Arcosians. Rads merely shrugged.

"She got lost somewhere out there, likely killed with the others. You're the last one."

Likely killed...the others...

The Saiyan turned his back and started making his way down the mountain, feeling a hand on his shoulder.

"Where are you going?" Rads asked.

"To find Bietz," Spicer replied, matter of factly.

"She's dead Spicer."

The boy didn't reply at first. He merely continued his way down.

"We don't leave comrades behind," Spicer told her before Rads lost sight of him heading down the plateau. The Saiyaness' face grew red with fury, her tail swinging wildly.

"You idiot! You'll die too!"

---

Nearly a month later, Spicer returned, carrying Bietz on his back. The girl shattered her leg climbing a tree, trying to escape from a nameless beast. Spicer found her near a ravine, half-starved and ready to despair.

Upon hearing the news of their return, Fuar nearly spat out his wine.

"That little monkey actually did it," he remarked, getting up to see the celebration. Fuar was less than pleased, having received the summons of his own to return to Station Alpha. Evidently, his little experiments and pet projects weren't being appreciated by his cousin.

Still, the surprise on his face was genuine at seeing the Saiyans returned, alive. Fuar floated over to them.

"Well Spicer, it seems you might be a warrior yet."

[Naval Monte]

Collab with Saint
North City

The situation was, seemingly at least, becoming untenable. Her brothers carrying the injured Spicer through the portal to Luna, Serena felt a tinge of pain as Ikki apologised to everyone. It wasn’t his fault, regardless of what madness his father was up to.

“It’s not your fault, Ikki,” she told him. ” None of us knew Dr Kita had fallen so low. We--no, I--should have done more to check on him.”

Still things weren’t quite finished. It took the queen a moment to notice, but Nymphaea and Ovan hadn’t come through the portal--they were still out there. Liz expressed despair at her sister’s fate, but Serena realised a moment later that Ovan was intending to stay and fight.

That’s nearly suicide, the queen thought, but before she could stop him, Serena heard Liz issuing orders to bomb the city.

What?

“Liz, that’s crazy, there are civilians down there and Earth military. We can’t just bomb them!”

Elizabeth stopped when Serena called out to her. Elizabeth turn to look at her.

“The soldiers from the EDF will be notified on the change of plans. As for the civilians we couldn’t reach I’m sorry that we couldn’t save them but their lives shouldn’t jeopardize the safety of the Earth.”

Elizabeth would pull her neck up to reveal her neck.

“Noah can spread his mutant by touch. By touch! I’m only myself because of Amatsu. No one else is immune and my sister shows that magic can’t protect people from being changed. We have to isolate the city and destroy the infection at the source before it can spread.”

Serena shook her head.

“There are too many unknowns. Magic or even technology might be able to cure and reverse it. We can’t condemn an entire city. 80 million people live in North City, Liz,” Serena pleaded with the cambion. Again, she shook her head. “No, cancel the order.”

Elizabeth curled her fingers to almost make a fist but stopped as she uncurl them. “And 6 billion live on Earth. I’m sorry Serena but I can’t risk that many people for 80 million. Noah has the anti magic capabilities that those androids have. I felt it. The magic solution won’t work and as for technology the only one we know for certain that might have a cure is Kita and right now for all we know Noah could have either killed him or turned him into a mutant.”

The cambion slashed her hand across the air.

“The more time we wait on developing a cure the more people change into those monsters. Killing them is the most efficient solution we have on ending this. We can capture a few of the lesser mutants to see if a cure is possible. But we can’t keep Noah around since he could create a new vector for the mutant infestation.”

“So long as there’s hope I can’t give up,” Serena stated firmly, her eyes flashing red. “This isn’t Maikai, Liz. This is Earth, and so long as I’m alive, so long as I’m Queen, we do things my way. Cancel the order.” The queen’s red-hued aura flashed out, as she refused to back down.

Elizabeth’s eyes began to glow yellow in response to the display of power the queen was showing. “That is true, your highness. But you also forget that I’m a queen as well. No, an empress.” she would step close to Serena.

The dark aura that was indicative of the dragon and now her would shroud around Elizabeth once she was inches from Serena’s face.

“I can’t just hope for things to get better. The last time that happened I lost my home and my people, my family, was massacred by people that worked for your government and the other was thrown into a civil war by the actions of a power hungry usurper. I will not allow anyone else to go through that hell or any hell similar to it ever again! So if you want that order cancelled you have to go through me.” the cambion began to growl at the queen.

“Don’t challenge me, Liz,” Serena replied, sympathetic to the demon queen but unintimidated, magic dancing off of her body, her voice firm and in control. “You know what I can do in my Angelic Form, and that alone should give you hope that I can turn Nymph back. Do not make me an enemy, although we are friends, I shall protect the innocent and weak of Earth.” A final surge of magic pulsed out of Serena’s form, pure, primordial magic.

“Cancel the order.”

Almost as a reaction the dark aura around Elizabeth exploded out as the lights in the room began to grow dim and all warmth was being sucked out.

The commander would look down at their forearm as the Scroll device was beeping. He would turn it on and Shepherd's voice would come through.

“Elizabeth, me and my legion are getting close to Ovan’s location. We’re about to reach him in ten minutes assuming none of the mutants shoot us out of the sky.”

Elizabeth ignored the message.

“Also I heard what is going on in the room thanks to the comms from the soldiers present. I’m siding with Serena here. Vladimir’s legion is close to saving more hostages and can’t leave now. I will not go through that order.”

Elizabeth looked at the commander as she was shocked to hear Shephard disobeying her, the aura around her breaking.

Feeling the power coming from the queen and knowing that one of her top commanders will not obey her, the witch knew that it was pointless to continue with this fight.

“Don’t interfere with the fight unless Ovan is going to be turned into one of those freaks. Avoid being caught by his hands because he can spread his mutation by touch. So have snipers blow off his hands. We can’t have someone like Ovan changed into one of them no matter what.”

Shephard can tell that Liz was hiding in front of Serena. The secret order that she was giving him and the others the permission to shoot Ovan if he was being changed by the final words of her sentence.

“Understood, ma’am.”

The transmission would end.

Elizabeth looked at Serena. “This is a bad idea.”

Serena relaxed her posture and lowered her aura as Elizabeth backed down, giving a sigh.

“Maybe, but we have to do the right thing,” she said simply. “Now, let’s figure something out with the others.” Serena passed through the portal again, standing in the room with Ikki and her brothers as they carted Spicer away.

“Ikki, do you think there’s a chance your father is still alive?”

Behind the queen Elizabeth would change back to her normal form and stomp over to a corner in the room. She would lean her back against the wall and cross her arms in front of her chest. The cambion seem to be lost in her thoughts as she was keeping an ear out on the conservation happening in the room.

[Finland SSR]

Noah

---

With a flash of light and a portal gate, all of the Earth's defenders departed from the battlefield, their power levels now popping up on Luna hundreds of thousands of kilometers away - all except one. Ovan refused to go, announcing that he shall hold the bio-android off, and then asserted that their battle was not yet over afterwards. Even in his weakened state, he was still itching for a fight.

Noah, meanwhile, was not particularly interested. This battle achieved all of the objectives the bio-android desired - the Wraiths Squadron were driven off and were no longer an immediate threat, they even gained additional, extremely powerful subjects, and their North City base has now been consolidated. Even the deep, inner desire of seeing how its power compares against Earth's mightiest heroes no longer excited Noah - after all, Ovan could hardly pose a challenge in this state.

"Certainly, your tenacity is admirable," Noah answered him. "If you wish to stay with us, then you can take a seat."

The bio-android's attention got drawn away for a second - its fingers moved across the air, commanding thousands of mutants with each twitch. They accelerated their construction, and in a matter of minutes, began building a dome around the North City centre. The buildings inside, including those around Noah and Ovan, were being hastily stripped away, mutant abominations tearing them down and assembling all of the resources they could take in the centre. Something enormous was being built there...

"If you ever believe you have recovered enough to have a go at me again, feel free to do so. I cannot guarantee that I will respond, however. Or I can tell you more about myself, your choice."

---

Star Sheriff Ikki

---

Nymph was gone. Turned into one of Noah's own. And with Spicer still in terrible state, there was only three of them left, pretty much. Ovan was still down on Earth, and Ikki could only presume that Danu was, as always, gone God knows where. Arashi and Higu were, presumably, also gone in the same direction, if they did not show up for the battle before.

Ikki suppressed himself from rage, merely wincing and clenching his teeth while staring off to the side. At least Liz also knew about the origin of Noah and its mutants - deep in the depths of AEGIS North, in a level of the complex which was not in official documents. Creating a hidden base under everyone's noses does sound like his father... It wasn't much, but at least it was at least some hint to where Noah might have come from. He already started thinking of what their next course of action should be, however, instead of continuing to plot, Liz first confronted him over his constant distance from the planet, and especially from their children - something the Saiyan didn't even know how to respond to, especially as this was no time for familial squabbles, so he was merely left speechless - while she and Serena suddenly entered a very fierce verbal clash.

Liz was disillusioned and wished for everything in North City to be burned to the ground, while Serena could not possibly accept that and hoped that they could be able to find a cure. Ikki, glaring from one woman to another, didn't even understand why this was a debate at all. Nymph and Ovan were there, this should be reason enough to not even consider blasting the city to smithereens. Once the conversation died down, the Saiyan finally added:

"Even ignoring the inevitable losses, you saw how strong Noah is. And that he didn't even need a head intact to survive. Bombing North City will achieve nothing but losses."

The Saiyan then turned his focus to Serena, answering the Queen's question:

"If he did kill my-well, our father, then Noah would have certainly dropped that on me. I can't be certain, but... perhaps he was left down there in the laboratories to observe the result."

Ikki folded his arms, thinking for a second. "Dad could get... overambitious, and miscalculate somewhat, but he would not create such a powerful, sentient weapon and not consider countermeasures. I propose that we go down there, where Liz said Noah first showed up, and see for ourselves - whether or not Dad is still alive, that is going to be our best shot at defeating Noah."

[Saint Morning]

Silver Palace, Luna

Serena's form relaxed further, content at least that North city and its millions of civilians would be sparred from fiery bombardment, but that was only an ancillary issue compared to the grave threat posed by Noah. Certainly, the mutant leader was the greatest threat faced by the Earth since Raguel's invasion nearly seven years ago--and a far greater threat than Riker.

A monster of our own creation, or at least, our failure to understand Dr Kita, Serena thought before Ikki interrupted her inner monologue. Ikki revealed to Serena and Liz that Dr Kita was likely still alive, deep inside AEGIS HQ. The queen's brothers perked up at the idea.

"Infiltrating a hidden base? I'm down," Castor said with a cheeky grin. His brother punched him in the arm.

"It's not like it's a tea party, dummy."

Serena, for her part, sighed.

"We don't have any other options at the moment, and Ovan was intent on fighting Noah, but it's doubtful he could last too long alone. If Dr Kita is alive, getting him is maybe our best way of defeating Noah and finding a cure for Nymph and the others."

[Naval Monte]

---

---

Elizabeth frown the more she thought about going down the base. "We have one problem though. We can't use portals to enter the base." A soldier from AEGIS would join in.

"The director is right. If you guys use magic to reach the base the sensors would detect that and alert the base's automatic defense systems. We aren't sure yet if Noah left any mutants down at this secret level that you all are talking about but there is a high likelihood he did." the trooper mentioned.

"Which means we need not only a stealth craft to reach the base but we also need to hide ourselves." she gave the group a smirk. "And we're in luck because I know where to find those two means." Elizabeth would walk to the center of the room.

Once she was at the center she would move her hands around and create life size illusion of an Aegis trooper wearing an all black armor. The armor looked rather bog standard by all appearance.

"This is a secret project but this is desperate times so I can reveal it. This armor is being made for intelligence agency for covert operations. The armor is equip with electronic countermeasures and an active camouflage, making the wearer invisible to both organic and synesthetic eyes. The armor itself is even coated in a material that absorbs radar. I can't say anymore on that one for obvious reasons. The armor however offers the same level of protection your standard PTO armor, which is the basis for the phase II change overall." She turn to the others.

"My idea is that we take a stealth modified Pelcion to the base and use this armor to sneak past the defenses and cameras. This can not only hide us from the defense system in the secret level but also from any mutants down there. Unless they have the smell power of a blood hound that is, then were screwed."

[Britanania]

Silver Palace, Silver City, Luna, 509 AU

After being sent through the portal by Serena's brothers, and directed by local forces, Spicer was taken to one of the medical machines in the Royal Apartments. Typically they were used during Spicer's training, usually with Pollux and Castor and with Serena, and typically not for injuries of this magnitude. Still, with the stimpak Ikki gave the Saiyan, Spicer's life was not in any grave danger when they rushed him to the machines, but he was in bad shape regardless.

By the time Spicer was placed, he was again cognizant of his surroundings.

We must be back on Luna. Last thing I recall was fighting the insectoid mutant and then talking with Scallion. Were we completely successful? Somehow, Spicer doubted it, which made his following decision an even more painful one.

We need to stop them now, North City, if not the entire planet, is in danger! Forcing his eyes open, Spicer pulled off the cables and wires connecting him to the console and opened the machine, spilling the fluid over the floor as concerned medical professionals rushed over.

"Prince Spicer, your treatment isn't complete!"

The Saiyan waved them off as he approached a set of jumpsuits and armour and began to dress.

"I understand your concern, doctor, but the Earth is in danger and I can't wait around to heal." When he was finished, Spicer made his way back into the drawing-room where Serena, Liz, Ikki, Castor, and Pollux were debating their next moves.

[Finland SSR]

Star Sheriff Ikki

---

Elizabeth and Serena both agreed that an infiltration of the AEGIS compound is their best possible option, and Ikki responded with a nod. "Since it's clearly something Noah and his mutants inject, it should be able to be reverted somehow. You know, like an anti-toxin..."

Liz, meanwhile, already came prepared, and having deduced that infiltrating the compound will not be as easy as it initially appears, brought up a suit which will be able to get them inside safely, avoid both any automated defense systems as well as mutants they might possibly find inside. Once again, Ikki nodded in response.

"We're not going to need stealth jets when we can fly ourselves and Liz can open portal gates to where we need," the Saiyan answered, simply, and folded his arms. "I have a pretty simple plan in mind. There's three of us, and since we are bound to clash with something down there, knowing how unlucky we are, I'd say I can go ahead first and go as quickly as possible - if we're going to meet my dad, then I'm going to be needed there either way. The rest make sure that the way is clear, and head down as soon as they can. Ideally, we all get down there at the same time, take Dad, and portal out of there back to Luna."

[Naval Monte]

Collab between Naval and Brit and Saint

Silver Palace, Silver City, Luna, 509 AU

Elizabeth rubbed her neck. “It was a fluid but it wasn’t a mere injection. When that stuff was inside of me I felt my whole body burning up. I felt my muscles tense up before they were breaking down and being rearranged like building blocks. I probably would have been changed too if Amatsu wasn’t so keen on sharing space with Noah.”

She can see the looks of confusion she got from some of the people in the room. “When I was mutating I felt Noah’s mind inside my head. I felt him trying to bury my mind away so he can take control. I also sensed the other mutants throughout the city.”

Elizabeth became silent as she turn her back from the group, a finger raised and curl in front of her lips. “I even felt my sister’s mind as she was trying her best to fight off the mutation. But I could tell that she was losing. Her conscious felt like a dying ember when I was in that hive mind.”

Elizabeth dropped her arm as she allowed it to swing back and forth.

Elizabeth heard Spicer walking into the room and turned to him. “You’re not dead yet? I wonder how long that luck of yours will remain Spicer. Because I’m pretty sure the Kai of Death must feel annoyed on how many times you almost fell to his clutches only to escape at the last minute.” Elizabeth said with a small smirk.

“I wonder if someday he will come down personally to put you down for good.”

“If he does, I’ll be waiting to stop him,” Serena countered as she approached Spicer and gave the Saiyan a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she said with a smile as she pulled back.

Spicer returned his wife’s smile.

“It was just a small flesh wound, I probably didn’t need the medical machine,” the Saiyan lied, looking over at the others.

“So we’re really going to infiltrate AEGIS HQ?” he asked.

“By HQ you mean the North Base, then yes. The HQ project has been hitting a few delays but that is relevant.” she looked at Spicer’s armor. “What is relevant is for you and everyone to strip while I tell my people to deliver the necessary gear.”

Elizabeth would materialize the scroll device and order for the stealth armor to be delivered.

Serena, meanwhile, looked back at the witch.

“Liz, by the way, how long has AEGIS had stealth equipment?” she asked somewhat sternly. This was news to the queen, and she was less than pleased the Ministry of Magic was keeping secrets from the government...again.

Elizabeth waved her hand. “We stole it from Whiteguard. Bastards used it to drop on us many times during the civil war. That was why the first attack on West City was a massacre for us. When we finally won that along with their energy shields, weapons, and exo suits were top on our priority list of tech to “appropriate” from them. We even improved it to work better than what they had in the war.”

Elizabeth would take off the trench coat she wore and threw it to a soldier that was close by who caught.

“As for why I hid it you can blame the PTO for that. I found out that during our research into the tech that cloaking is technically illegal. I didn’t knew that and quite frankly the technology is too damn useful for me to allow something small as an obscure rule to prevent us from using it.” she told Serana as she was unbuttoning her shirt.

The queen sighed.

“We can discuss that later, but do you mind changing in a separate room?” she asked gently.

Elizabeth looked over and gave her a grin. “Are you worried that Spicer would like what he sees if I keep going?” the witch asked in a teasing tone.

Serena just rolled her eyes and conjured a wall separating off Ikki and Liz from Serena, Spicer, and her brothers, and then formed another wall between her and Spicer and Castor and Pollux.

“There,” she said with a satisfied grin. “That wasn’t so difficult”, now was it?”

“Spoil Sport!” Elizabeth shouted back.

In the time the walls appeared a couple of soldiers arrived with carts containing metal suitcases being held by metal arms attached to a machine.

“We delivered the armor as you ordered ma’am.”

Elizabeth shouted great as she created a portal for the soldiers to send the suitcase through. Everyone would see portals emerge so the soldiers can deliver the cases to them.

When the case open everyone would hear clicks and wines from the mechanism of the machines working as the cases open. They would see the visors of the helmet staring back. They would notice however that dark gray patterns similar to those used by Shephard’s unit was on the armor.

Suggesting that the 7th Legion was meant to have the armor.

“Sweet, this looks awesome,” Castor exclaimed as he started putting the armour on. However, just as he tried, the half-angel noticed the set disappearing before his eyes, red-hued magic giving him a clue at what was going on.

“Hey, what gives Serena?” he shouted over the wall. Pollux looked equally disappointed, his armour vanishing as well.

“Sorry, but you two aren’t coming,” she informed her twin brothers. “I need you two to keep an eye on North City when we’re gone, just in case something happens, and to help Ovan if he needs it.”

Elizabeth would open the body glover by pulling it apart, the back cleanly splitting open. “Maybe you should have told me that ahead of time before I brought in extra armor that won’t be used.” she shouted out as she put on the armor.

The bodysuit was snug, comfortably so. The suit could also regulate the temperature of the wearer so one won’t overheat or freeze as easily while wearing it unless the temperature around them was extreme for the suit to handle.


However the one thing the suit lacked was modesty as it left little to the imagination. All of her curves and muscles was visible for all to see. Now that she thinks about it the body glove would be perfect for a scifi inspired model shot. That can be an interesting way to generate more funds for AEGIS?

The boots were similar to the PTO counterparts as one simply slides their foot into the boot and it would close itself around them. The next piece she would slide through was the hip armor which once it was in place would attach itself to the body suit. For those familiar with PTO armor they would find that the armor pieces stretched just like the PTO’s own armor. It and the protection power was elements from the PTO armor that AEGIS tried to replicate for Phase II.

After the hip piece was in place she would add the other pieces for her legs; covering her thighs, knees, and shin.

Around her waist she added what appeared to be a belt like object with metal plating that covered her abdomen, after that the utility belt was warp around her waist. Following that was the chest piece that borrowed from the PTO design loosely, shoulder pieces were much smaller and more rounded than the typical one used by the PTO, which are extra attachments for the AEGIS armor. Just like with the legs every other piece for the arms slide on and attached themselves once they reached their place.

The gloves had armor plates made on to a fabric that was the body suit. Elizabeth would open and close her fingers to test out the glove and let a smile form as she found the glove to be the perfect fit as it was meant to be. Elizabeth would tie her hair into a bun as she look down at the helmet

Once she was done with her hair she reach down and picked up the helmet to put it on. Once the helmet was on her she would hear it click into place and see darkness. The visor would blink on and light would come in as she saw red words and images flash by as the electronics in the suit was doing a system check.

The augmented reality remained at the sides of her vision as she would press a button to the right side behind where her ears were.

“You guys are done changing?” she asked as her voice came through the helmets.

“Just about,” Spicer replied over the communication relay. The armour wasn’t too dissimilar to some armour sets he had worn in the PTO, and it was clear to the Saiyan that AEGIS was making interesting use of their technology, and if the Saiyan was correct, Whiteguard was appropriating the same tech from what Daichi Sora took from Chay’s space pod over two decades ago.

Spicer pressed a few more buttons on the side, bringing up the HUD, providing various bits of germane information. He noticed a setting similar to a scouter, reading their respective power levels, as well as another gauge reading what he presumed was magic. Once he was settled, Spicer turned over to Serena.

“Ready?” he asked his wife.

“Ready,” she answered, looking him up and down. “Are you sure you’re all right, though?” she asked before putting the helmet on. The queen wasn’t sure, but she was getting an odd feeling. Spicer’s injuries were spectacular, and he wasn’t in the medical machine that long.

“I’ll be fine,” he reassured her, removing his helmet as he approached and kissed her on the lips, before putting the helmet back on. As be did, Spicer noticed a reading flashing on his HUD: “WARNING, ENERGY LOW.” The Saiyan pressed a button, disabling the warning.

Serena similarly placed her helmet on, and waving her hands, removed the barriers. The half-angel then turned to the demonic queen.

“Okay, open the portals, Liz.”

Elizabeth nodded. “Alright. The sensors have a range on how far they can detect portals before they become blind. I will make the portal in that blind zone. More importantly we should fly either low or extremely high. Personally I suggest we stick to the low angle so we can get a better visual of the base and know where we can sneak inside.”

Elizabeth created the portal. “Oh I suggest taking the weapons too. It’s better if we use our powers as a last resort.” she told them as she took out a blaster pistol and step through the portal, entering a mountain forest that was close to the base.

Elizabeth would take out a second pistol and she would gesture for the group to follow her as she fly through the canopy of the forest.

[Britanania]

Silver Palace, Silver City, Luna, 509 AU

With the preparations out of the way, Liz created the two portals, one for Serena's brothers to return into the fray and help with the efforts to contain the mutants in North City, and the other for the team tasked with finding Dr Kita. The Saiyan gave a final sigh before he passed through the portal, taking a moment to send some last-minute orders to the PTO forces on the ground to hold and the line, help civilians and first responders, and not to engage unless attacked.

There are still far too many unknowns, and we can't even be sure Dr Kita can help us, he thought, before joining the others and jumping through the gateway.

Mountains and tall coniferous trees greeted them. The area seemed largely abandoned, or at least, uninhabited by any human or other earthling settlements.

Reminds me of some of the wildlife preserve planets across the PTO, Spicer mused for a moment as he checked his surroundings. Nothing hostile seemed to be in the area, indicating they were at least outside of the sensors, as Liz promised. Spicer followed the cambion as she flew off, taking note of the scenery as they approached the base.

[Finland SSR]

Star Sheriff Ikki

---

Ikki ignored much of the protocol order to them by his wife in the end - he did not see a reason to wear the helmet, or bother to carry the weapons which they offered to bring with them, aside for a pistol he attached to his thigh just in case it proves to be useful. Ordinary weaponry has been proven to be completely inadequate when dealing with Noah's mutants - understandable, given the massive difference in power level - so Ikki figured that if they end up in a fighting situation, they will inevitably have to use their "last resort" regardless.

The Saiyan stepped through the portal with a determined frown, joining Spicer, Elizabeth and Serena in the outskirts of North City, surrounded by forest, with mountains in the backdrop. Just like the home he still faintly remembers.

For a second, he glanced to Spicer. Ikki remembered quite well what his peer's condition was like so little time ago, and yet here he was standing strong and assuring everyone that he could still fight. Either the injection worked better than he anticipated... or he will have to keep an eye on his fellow Saiyan during the mission.

As the squad flew towards the AEGIS compound, they would soon learn that less of the automated systems were active than they anticipated. Only a few were still firing pot shots at the intruders, while the rest turned out to have been very recently disabled - by beast-like slashes cutting through the guns. Bolts of electricity still sparked from the slash marks.

There were not many living things inside - but there was one mutant. She was sitting in what used to be the compound's cafeteria, on a chair in the middle of the room surrounded by tossed tables, chairs and bodies, and reading a very interesting book.

[Naval Monte]

---

Elizabeth looked over at Ikki and glared once they stopped. "Oi. The helmet would have aided with the stealth suit. I rather not have any of the mutants or robots blast off your scalp." the slightly irritated witch stated. Granted the numerous defense systems were all destroyed. Not a single one doing a thing against a lone mutant. "Hey Serena can by department get a raise so we can upgrade must of our gear to have fully Yggdrasilian level grade stuff? Normal bullets and energy bolts don't cut it anymore."

Elizabeth looked over at the mutant. "You know she isn't that bad looking for a mutant. I think I would give her a 8/10." Elizabeth ignored the strange looks she was getting from the others as she pulled up her wrist which had scroll attached to it. "Alright. I'm gonna engage the stealth field for all of our suits and shut down the lights in the base. Your helmets would allow you to see through the dark so you all can follow me so we can sneak past the mutant."

She would turn to Ikki. "But since you don't have your helmet I get to have the perfect excuse to hold your hand in this situation." she would return back to the device. As she was inputting a few commands she would turn to look at the mutant again and her eyes follow on the book. "Huh? She's reading that old fairytale book that my sister likes. I wonder where she got that one from?" Elizabeth pondered as the final command was inputted and the stealth suits shimmer for a brief second before fading away, the stealth field enveloping the group.

Elizabeth looked back at the scroll. "Okay. I will be shutting off the lights soon. Prepare yourselves to run as soon as the lights go out." Elizabeth told the group as she was furiously typing down the commands in a hurry. From the other side of the cafeteria the doors would swing open as a lone security robot began to enter the room. The camera eye spotted the mutant and the twin guns of the robot were aim at the creature as she had her back turned to it.

[The Republic of Atria]

Noah

With a mixture of surprise and annoyance, Noah responded to him rather dismissively basically saying he wasn't much of a threat because he dropped off. He did have one final idea, but he'd save that for when he got some of his energy back. Hopefully he could find some food real quick. He glanced around and saw the mutants tearing the city apart and... building something? They definitely looked like they had a goal in mind and they were working quickly and tirelessly. His heart told him to lash out and damage as many of them and as much of their construction as possible to delay whatever it was they were doing, but his mind got the better of him and he kept his impulses in check. He could destroy more with some rest.

Funnily enough, Noah offered to tell him what it was he was doing. The others were already gone, on the moon if his energy sense was right. He straightened his back and sighed. "Alright. Fine. I'll bite. What's you're plan? turn everyone into mutants? Something something something biological transcendence?" He guessed.

[Britanania]

Collab with Saint

Outside North City, AEGIS North Command

With Liz setting up the portals, Serena took a moment to make sure everything was correct before she turned to her brothers.

"Remember, you're there to help people, don't do anything rash," she sternly, but lovingly, reminded Castor and Pollux. Pollux gave her a nod and a thumbs-up as Castor rolled his eyes at his big sister.

"Yeah, whatever mum," he told Serena in a joking tone, getting a signature arm punch from his twin before they flew through their portals, and Serena joined the others in her group. The path through the Northern Mountains was, of course, quiet and tranquil, and reminded the queen of her journey through Vanir a few years back albeit of course with the more familiar flora and fauna of Earth. The calming natural environment soon gave way, however, to the cold steel of the AEGIS base. As they entered, Serena felt some trepidation--a dark presence clouded the area, and while she was vaguely aware that Liz--and evidently, others--were engaged in less than savoury practises, she wasn't sure if she was ready to face the true extent.

No, I have to know, she reminded herself. To keep the Earth safe, I need to know how far the rot goes and clear it.

Inside, Serena found the place a veritable ghost-town. Signs of destruction were all about, including the bodies of friend and foe--a sickening sight to say the least.

"How terrible," she murmurred, "This has to stop."

Soon, they reached what looked like a cafe, where a lone mutant sat reading. Serena frowned somewhat at Liz's attempts at humour before the cambion ordered some type of drone to attack the mutant.

"Don't you think we should ask it a few questions?" Serena asked Liz.

Meanwhile, as the team stalked the halls of AEGIS' command, Spicer couldn't shake a sense of unyielding dread. The facility reminded the Saiyan of the prison facility where he, Tabella, and Arashi discovered Hugo. Like Serena, Spicer had little inkling of AEGIS' activities, but from their secret camouflage project to rumours of supersoldiers, to now what he was seeing inside the base, even the Saiyan general began to question Liz's motives.

Could they be as bad as Tarrasque? he wondered as they entered the cafeteria, where a singular mutant remained, with fresh corpses about. Spicer frowned, but before he could act, Liz went on the offensive, bringing a security robot into the fight. The Saiyan glanced at Liz.

"I have to agree with Serena here."

[Naval Monte]

---

Elizabeth looked at them. "That robot wasn't me. That thing is following it's own commands. Also I don't think talking to it will work. Besides, this is a stealth mission. We are to get in and out with Kita without being noticed. Did you forget that already?" Elizabeth replied back.

Elizabeth would look through the scroll to make a quick check on the containment units within the facilities. She would find that the ones containing apprehended mages was still secure as are the cells containing creatures and objects. The remaining security robots are guarding the floors with the cells ferociously from any mutant their sensors pick up.

"I may have to send in reinforcements to clear up the base once we leave. I don't want the mutants to get to the mages and creatures locked in the base." she told the group.

[Ranoria]

Collab Between Ran and Naval

Arashi tore the head off of one of the androids and cast the body down to the lush Martian terrain below, shaking his hand when excess electricity managed to shock him. The rest of his Tohrans weren’t faring so well, struggling against individual androids and - for some - succumbing to the atrocious machines.

He moved to help them, one by one, easily handling the machines himself and dismantling whatever was left of the Saiyan’s patchwork resistance to his attack. It had been an aggressive play, moving so many pieces so aggressively around the queen, and Arashi’s eyes flicked up to the horizon when several higher power levels began to reveal themselves.

If this was going to be worth it, they needed to get out, and fast.

“Reavers,” he said after opening a channel on his scouter, “Time’s up, you’ve got a couple minutes and then me and mine are pulling out.”

Arashi’s call for the Reavers would get a surprising response.

An android having it’s head destroy due to a blue streak tearing through its head, leaving a burning hole that was producing steam.

Another android would have a hole torn through its chest as more of the blue streaks was spotted.

A few of the androids would turn to the base to see more of the streaks coming from a watch tower. The machines began to make their way to the base.

From the air the Tohrans would see flames materialize as one of the Reavers would come through the flames and land on an android.

The Reaver took out two vibroblades that were glowing red from intense heat as they stabbed through the neck and cut through the wires and metal easily. The Reaver would jump off and disappear into a mass of flames as the android fell to it’s knees, the head almost severed off it’s neck.

The Reavers would appear next to another android and she would stab her dagger into the chest of the droid as she duck away from the machine’s punch as she reached to her hostel and took out a machine pistol and open fire. Releasing incendiary rounds that when they collide with another android would explode on contact, unleashing heated sharpnel at the nearby androids.

The Reaver would disappear into another burst of flames as the android tried to shoot her, the energy blast hitting the ground. The reaver would appear next to Arashi.

“You idiots were having trouble with those things?” Panther questioned the strength of the supposed Blood Diamond as she pointed her gun and fired, blowing the head off another android.

As the androids prepared to open fire on the group black smoke would erupt from their shadows.

The Tohrans would hear the sounds of slugthrowers and blasters going off as well as spellcasting through the smoke. As the smoke began to depart the severed head of a droid would fly out and land in front of Arashi’s feet.

Standing on the field was the other Reavers crouched behind a wall made of harden Earth with Bison having his hands on them.

“A droid popper would be helpful now!” Bison shouted as he grunted. He was concentrating on keeping the wall standing as the androids kept blasting away pieces of it.

Monkey would take out a brass spherical object and press a button. He would throw the sphere in the air. Monkey kept a watch on the sphere as it rose up high and when it began to fall back down. He saw the distance it was to the group and to the androids and which angle it would land.

“45. Mark 51.” he turned to Goose who nodded as he prepared his rifle. “45. Mark 51.” he aim high and soon had his sights on the sphere. The sniper would pull the trigger and unleash a blue bolt that would strike the sphere.

When the sphere was hit a pulse of blue energy would be unleash that spread throughout the air and reached the ground. The androids caught by the blast would begin to emit sparks of electricity as all of their circuits began to short circuit and break down.

The Earth wall began to slide forward as Bison moved the group closer.

“75. Mark 357.” Monkey told Goose as he took out another of what was now revealed to be EMP grenades.

“75. Mark 357.” Goose repeated as he prepared for the next shot as Monkey threw the grenade over. The EMP grenade would not be shot out of the sky unlike last time. Instead it fell on to the hands of an android that look down at the strange device.
Before it can finish scanning the strange object Goose would take the shot and the energy bolt would strike the droid popper, unleash a large pulse that would hit many androids.

Bison would keep pushing forward as the androids kept firing at their barrier. “This thing isn’t going to last long!” He warned the group.

Raptor looked at the androids and turned to Coyote. “Coyote, you need to give us some suppression fire. We’ll fan out once you do.” the gunner nodded.

Coyote would move up from the wall and wave both her arms in a wide arc, emitting a streak of light that would unleash a barrage of energy needles at the androids.

The androids that saw the first barrage were all taken out by it but as more saw the others being taken out by the attacks they began to break up to dodge the attack just as the Reavers broke into different groups.

Bison would begin to release grenades from a grenade launcher that would stick to the droids before exploding. As the androids tried to get target readings on them Goose would show off more of his powers as he conjured multiple copies of the group. Causing the androids to shot wildly as the originals used the distraction to take each android down.

Bison would finish off his final opponent by controlling plates of metal from the fallen droid and creating a gauntlet to which he would use to beat an android to death.

Monkey used his incredible strength to rip an android in half.

Both Mamab and Snake both used the spectale of their two bulkier members to apply several disk shape devices on some distracted androids. Once they pressed a button on a remote the devices would unleash a powerful current of electricity that would cause the droids to lose all power and shut down.

Both Raven and Raptor would take out several droids with bladed weapons, a viborblade from Raven while Raptor had two long blades that came out from his arms.

With the androids now defeated the Reavers looked around the destruction they caused.

“Panther.” Raptor called out as the woman appeared from her fiery entrance. He would give her a detonator. “As promised. You get to destroy an enemy base.”

Even with her face covered behind her mask Raptor can feel the psychotic smile on her face.

“If we weren’t wearing masks right now I’ll fucking kiss you sir.” she grabbed the device from his hand and turned around to face the base as she pressed the button.

The group would hear rumbles at first. But soon glass shards and debris would come out along with sparks as the explosives were being set off. They would see more sparks and debris fly off as smoke began to come out from the building. This kept going on until suddenly the explosives just stopped.

“That’s it?” Raven asked, puzzled by the results. Panther turned to Bison. “Hey Bison what the hell? Those bombs of yours did jack!” the taller man shrugged.

“I used the most violate stuff AEGIS has made. If those bombs are a dud than blame the eggheads back in Research not me.”

As Panther was about to insult Bison more the group would hear a loud explosion as a massive fireball came out from the building.

“Holy Sh-”

Before Goose can finish more fireballs erupted as more explosions rocked the base.

“Nevermind. Those explosives worked as well as they said it would. That delay reaction is something they should fix though.”

Raptor agreed with Bison as they saw one of the buildings just disappear as a series of powerful explosions turn it into flying debris.

“Our mission here is complete. We should leave now.”

Mamba and Snake began to collect not only a head of a fallen android but also a few of the bodies that were mostly intact.

[Finland SSR]

Noah

---

Surprisingly, or perhaps not so surprisingly, Ovan decided to actually ask the question - what was he doing here? Knowing the stubbornness of the Earthling warrior, Noah would not have been surprised if he chose to instead sabotage the construction or even use this moment to attack, but the bio-android was fine with such and arrangement as well.

"There is a very simple logic to what I do, Ovan Fawkes, and as you are a smart man, I am sure you will be able to follow that thread of logic yourself," Noah answered and sat down onto the front of a broken down car. "I was designed to protect the inhabitants of Earth from any danger, and upon being activated, I registered two threats which I have to tackle to consider my mission complete. The first is the fragility of our people - and you already know how I will resolve that. The second is... that no matter how many villains I defeat, be it your Squadron or any other invading forces, there will always be more. The Universe is infinite, and can provide an infinite amount of villains, each one more powerful than the other."

Noah's eye turned towards the construction in the city centre, which was starting to take the shape of a spire, or a massive cannon pointed directly upwards.

"Thus, I am building an Ark."

The bio-android's hand waved towards the growing construction.

"Once that machine is finished and activated, Earth will be permanently severed from the Universe. It will be placed in pocket dimension, completely inaccessible from the outside. Then, my mission will be complete."

---

Star Sheriff Ikki

---

The mutant remained unmoving when the robot first entered the room, its mechanical movements being the only thing which she was able to hear - the cloaking used by the heroes left her completely unaware of their presence, at least for the time being. While the machine locked on to its target, biomass began to bubble in one of the mutant's shoulders - and as soon as it fired, several fleshy tentacles shot out, punching through the fired rounds and then suddenly entangling themselves around the machine.

They flung the robot over her shoulder - by chance, directly at the hidden Wraiths Squadron team.

"Get down!" Ikki yelled and personally pulled Liz down to the ground, moments before the machine whizzed by above them and crashed behind them. Something inside of it, perhaps one of the fuel cells, ruptured and detonated, releasing a massive cloud of ash and dust which rolled across most of the room.

The mutant did not return to its book. Its glowing eye turned straight at the team - while she was not able to see them directly, the thick cloud of dust was now uneven because of the people standing inside of it, as if it had human-sized holes inside of it, which the eye caught, registered, and began following.

"I see you..."

"We don't have time to interrogate it!" Ikki yelled as soon as the first tentacles began flying their way. "We have to get past her, and fast!"