Chapter -2: Two-and-a-half Devils
Realm of Shadows
Nerehc begun to regain his vision, facing a wavy window-like sky that depicted an image of the surface, a bright orange light shining from below his vision. It appeared that black, ghostly shadows were floating high above. A young-looking male shadow then loomed over Nerehc. "What is it?"
A girl shadow joined him. "A human, duh."
Another boy. "What's it doin'?"
Nerehc's mind came back to him, sitting up as the shadows moved back. "Huh… what are you things?"
"We're shadows, duh." said the girl.
"In the Shadow Realm." followed the first boy.
"Where else, duh?" remarked the second.
"The Shadow Realm? How did I get here?"
"Who knows."
"But Old Man Mid."
"'Cause he brought you here."
"Run along, kids." The shadows looked up behind Nerehc and flew away. The boy turned to a shabby-looking house where a skinny old man was limping out of the dark entrance, his cane clacking the ground hard. When he came into dim light, Nerehc saw he dressed in black-and-white-striped clothing. The left of his face was white while the right was black… but the upper part of that white half looked torn off, unveiling the darker-white skull. His right hand clutching the cane was boney, and his left hand and legs, Nerehc saw through the raggedy pants, had missing parts of flesh. "I left you out here for the air… come inside if you want."
He turned back inside himself, and since Nerehc naturally had questions, he followed him. In the dark, dampness that he called home, Arorua was lain on a table, moaning eerily as bones still stuck out. The man stood over and calmly waved his hands. Some bones were slowly sinking back into her body. "You're a bonebender, too…"
"Not just any… I am Oitnemid .Z Mottobeikniw. I am Aluben's uncle."
"Her… uncle?"
"One million and 500 thousand years old… ehhh, assuming my math is correct. I and my sister, Aitnemid lived that long ago on our planet, Aruhtaz. Our family studied dark arts and ruled our world… but there was a race whose sole desire was peace for all aliens: the Etimgarc. Although usually peaceful, they held nothing back when our people attacked them. My sister and I always felt… disaster would come. We stole a ship and fled Aruhtaz, landed on Psiw, and settled there. Since then, the two of us have desired reviving our clan by continuing its legacy. We chose to expand the field of bonebending, searching its inner secrets… and from there, we would realize our true dream: immortality."
"Immortal?"
"Our chi, our life-force, flowed within the bones which our bending is named for. By continuing to harness our inner bone, its energy… they would not decay for quite some time. They would always be sturdy and thriving… so that our hearts remained beating, our souls remained entwined. For over a million years, we have… though we suspected our Positives played a role, too. Using means of living forever. But one day, about -4,000 years ago, a dark man approached us and taught us of a way to control Death entirely. We accompanied him, discovered an ancient and forbidden power, and would use this power to create the Elders of the End. We amassed many strong adults and kept them alive forever, by mixing bonebending with Death. Alas, the darkness corrupted us, and we spread chaos and despair to everyone."
"Wait a minute… this is the story of Legin Onu!" Nerehc remembered. "Eirik's father! But I thought Aitnemid was destroyed? And what about you?"
"Aitnemid was, but I was not. In truth, I felt deep regret for every moment, for every soul we harmed. This was more darkness than I bargained for… and so, I fled Aitnemid's organization. You seem to know how this story ends, with Legin's victory. But I later learned she was revived by the Grim Reaper, whom already assured the same would be done for her Positive. Aitnemid regained her youth and a second chance, but still she chose to follow her dark ambitions. But as she was far too old… chronologically… she bared children, and set them on the task."
"So she had Aluben to establish a universe-wide dictatorship?"
"To continue the teachings of the Nairuhtaz. Aluben, the newest bonebender in ages, would know just what our powers made our family: gods. We, those whose element allowed us to control planets, could also control bodies. Although waterbenders had their own equivalent, bones are stronger than flesh. That's what Aluben came to learn. In this universe with no gods, she would fulfill the duty of our ancestors. Command millions of bodies through sheer authority and power. That is… bonebending."
"Where is Aluben now?"
"I believe she is collecting. She must continue to grow on hatred… by absorbing more souls through their bones. Her power has already reached a peak where even thousands of mortals could not fight her."
"So, what? We have to rely on the gods?"
"There are times when you can, and times when you cannot. But you, Nerehc… are the one who gave Aluben her power. As the Demon Prince, he whose soul contains the essence of the Devil… can use his hatred to destroy the body Aluben now bears."
Nerehc understood that. He awakened all those souls, so he knew it was his job to end this. But more importantly, "Can you save my sister?"
A few more bones sank back into her. "I can return the bones to their original position, but they're badly damaged. The dangers of bonebending or any dark art is it can weaken the body drastically, disturbing chi-flow or endangering life. But I have a means of saving her, have faith. Don't fear for her when you can be fearing for your operatives."
"Are you hurt—Arorua?" Nerehc stuttered.
"Nnn…mm…"
"I gave her medicine, numbing her nerves while I proceeded. A few more shan't hurt. Await my return." Oitnemid walked away.
Nerehc approached the table as Arorua weakly turned her head, eyes cracked open. "Ne-ere-e-ehc…"
"Everything okay?"
"Nerehc… why do you… love me. I never… loved you."
"You're my sister. I never said this aloud, but… I always cared about everyone around me. I know it sounds silly… the Demon Prince loving people. I guess that is what makes me weak… I'm a worse leader in the end."
"Nerehc… I was… the idiot. I should've stopped hating you… spoken to you a long time ago. I could've… understood this love. I would've seen a side of you… that should've been above everything else. Your way of leading was… great."
"Aluben though… I feel sorry for her. She sacrificed her emotions. Any reason to love. Now all she has is… hatred. …I have to stop her."
"Hatred and Love are Darkness and Light in the field of emotions." Oitnemid spoke, returning with a liquid medicine. "Opposite sides can repel, not just attract. To defeat hatred… fight it with greater hatred."
"But I don't want to use hatred. I've been trying to end the negativity in our world, make peace and understanding between friends and groups of peoples. Destroying Aluben out of hatred would be-"
"A path Arceus hath chosen for you." Nerehc looked to a dark doorway. The purple-eyed white-robed priest of St. Frollo's stepped out.
"Father Reilicaf?"
"Ah know I have been teaching you to accept your light and let it shine, the VERY light Arceus hath given. But Day and Night exists in both worlds, where there must be light, they must have darkness. You must know good feelings, must know love for thine family and friends." He spoke in his typical passionate priest tone. "But you must not deny those feelings of darkness, not deny the hatred which drives passion. Do not lie to yourself, Boyah. You are angry. You HATE Aluben for what she has done! For hurting your sister, terrorizing your friends and everyone you love! Let your hate for her, spawn from your love for them!" He reached a hand and clutched an invisible force in his fingers. "Let your hate give you the strength to fight!"
"Rrrrr!" Nerehc shook. "How can that be?! I was always taught happiness and love was the only moral path. It's what my mom taught… she raised me to avoid those feelings. Why should hatred be the only path to defeat her?"
"Because it is the natural path." said the third mysterious voice today.
Nerehc and Reilicaf went outside. The black, armored dragon Giratina was perched on the outer yard, curious child shadows around him. "Giratina…"
"The Negaverse is just what it is: Negative. The gods designed its essence out of the very anger and hatred that comprised their own forms. You've heard the old saying that you are made in God's image. Well, the people in that Posiverse are made in the image of happiness and light. You and your denizens are made of anger, and darkness. The very same reason Arceus decided to throw me in here, in this Shadow Realm. I was too violent, so he threw me in this serene dimension to ease my soul. But the fact still stands, the Posiverse is up there, basking in the light, while your world is doomed to drown in darkness. Where more people are racist, more rulers are conquerors, and more friends are enemies."
"So it's all true then." Nerehc spoke angrily. "You DID chuck us down here to ignore us."
"It was a fault of the gods, I know. You'd understand if you were Arceus, having to create and organize every insignificant thing in a whole, balanced universe, and hundreds more after. Aggravation and anger consumed us. It was reflected in the Negatives. Or… that's how it was. But things have changed. In a growing, structuring universe… balance exists in all. Your denizens oppose the philosophy of the Positives… but you bear things you have in common. Anger and hatred exists in their world with happiness and love, and happiness and love exists in your world with anger and hatred. Posiverse and Negaverse… all of you are human, angels, aliens. You have personalities, abilities, you grow, develop, and learn what it means to have bonds and emotions. The true balance… is a natural balance. Hate and anger, with love and friendship, a natural balance that makes a person strong. Take those evils and use them."
"Hmph." Nerehc sat on the ground and subconsciously twirled the empty sheath of his sword against it. "Anger that, friendship this… you're talking like a Harry Potter book. Which I only know from Cheren showing it to me. I get how I have to use my hate for Aluben to save the friends which I love to defeat her, but one fact still stands: that Aluben's a mutant colossus of dead bodies that now controls the dead, and all of the darkbending I could muster isn't gonna work."
"No, Boy… it cannot." Reilicaf frowned. "Shamed as I am to say… you need more hate, more darkness. And no greater source… than where darkness comes from."
"You mean Demise? But isn't he-"
"Inside of you." Giratina informed. "Have you forgotten that when Ganondorf and his unholy form was destroyed, your mother absorbed the energy that remained. She kept it, and passed it on to you after your birth. I think she heard Rachel going to make her newest son carry her legacy, so Lehcar desired a son to antagonize him. I suppose part of the wish came true. No god can ever be destroyed, because their chi will exist and act through mortals. The Demon King of the Underworld and his power is inside you. You must look inside yourself and ask him for his power."
"Perfect, get one of those mini camera-microphones and stuff it in me."
"That ain't what he was sayin'." Yevrah said disbelieved. "Actually, we have a way, but it's dangerous. We must get yo' sword back at the Tree of Ending, but only if you're ready to face the challenges ahead."
"I'm not Sissy Cherry. So yeah, 'course I am."
"Perfect…" Oitnemid said hoarsely. "Our friends will assist you… come in."
Nerehc looked to a far end of the isle, a circular archway with a portal that just spiraled to life. "Let me in FIRST, Uuuus!"
"No, Nil, you're going to faaaaall!" The younger sister tugged on her elder's arm and tried to keep her feet firm.
"Mmm!" Nil pulled away. "I wanna see the SHADOOOOOWWWWS!" Running forward with no sense of direction, she went off the edge. "WAAAAAHHHHH! !" Her shadow thankfully caught her and pulled back.
The next to emerge from the portal were Sir Itaav, Ydnew, Raseac Atnalamid, a slim, gorgeous woman with a large chest, and a walking piano that morphed into a dinosaur. "You've saved him after all, Oitnemid, good job." Itaav said.
"Who are you all?"
"We're of a secret society whose job is to ensure peace within the Negaverse, the Order of the Black Lotus. You may call me Sir Itaav. This is my daughter, Ydnew; the children are Nil and Niyus, daughters of our Shadow Mistress, Hpot; Raseac there, this woman is Ettolrahc Nilnil – call her Little Aunt – a poisonbender who can extract unhealthy minerals from bodies; and you already know Mr. Reilicaf and Oitnemid."
"What about the dinosaur?"
"His name would be Yeoj; a metahuman who's capable into turning into anything he wishes. Our enemies would love to get ahold of him, so he always conceals his true form."
"But Mr. Reilicaf, you're with them, too?"
"We members of the Black Lotus are servants of the gods just as well! Actually, the Black Lotus was different in the old days; as servants of the Negatar, all they sought was destruction and darkness."
"But things are different now, since I took over." Itaav proclaimed in his high voice. "My mission is to bring peace and order to the Negaverse, and I shall. These are some of the greatest benders and people I've come to know, and no other people would I trust."
"We want to help you stop the DNKG and save your friends." Ydnew said with a ready face. "We're going to."
"Wow… to think I'd have my own private army." Nerehc said. "Alright… let's do it. Where to first?"
"The Tree of Ending," Little Aunt replied, "so we may get your sword back. Let's hurry, because we think Aluben is collecting more corpses. We haven't got much time."
"Ydnew, once we're back in the Negaverse, take us to the tree with your spacebending." Itaav told her. "I've showed it to you, so I trust your power."
Ydnew nodded seriously. "I'll give it all I got."
"Mr. Ointment." Nerehc looked at the bonebender. "You'll help Arorua… won't you?"
Mr. 'Ointment' nodded. "Until my last breath… I'll save her."
"I'm going there FIRST, Uuuus!" Nil excitedly rushed into the portal.
"We're supposed to stay with the GROUP, Niiiiil!" Niyus chased in, and soon the others joined.
"Hmm… they were looking for a nickname for you." Giratina said to Oitnemid.
"Siiiigh. What a perfect day to die."
Eporue; Dead Lands
The region was dark and abandoned, even more so without those thousands of souls. In a blinding flash, Ydnew Llevram and all their guests splorped out of space, the girl gasping for breath. "I think I prefer… Sipa's Apparating." Nerehc said dizzily.
"The sword, it's this way." Itaav led the group forward; Nerehc reckoned this was probably the most life-force the valley's ever had.
"Sooooo the Black Lotus used to be bad, but now it's good." Nerehc recapped.
"That's correct."
"How did you take it over?"
"I'm shamed to speak of it. The old leader, Master Hori was a terrible man who refused to give up. So I… poisoned his hotdog. God rest his weary bones."
"Which are now under control of Aluben." Reilicaf reminded.
"Does that mean someone else's running the White Lotus in Posiverse?"
"Yes." Ydnew replied, wearing a green necklace that was Yeoj's new form. "Actually, he's-"
"He doesn't wish us to speak of him, Ydnew." her father informed.
"R-Right…" Ydnew frowned, her last meeting with her Positive still haunting her.
"I'm just wondering, 'cause if you guys turned good, wouldn't that mean the White Lotus turns… bad?" Nerehc asked curiously.
"I have doubts about their leader's style." Itaav answered. "We try to understand each other, but he concerns me so much…"
Finally they arrived at the tree-stump where Nerehc's sword remained lodged. Its white glow was faded, making it look like black, withered stone. "Doubt I'll get much good from that. Never knew what was so great about the thing to begin with."
"Oh, the Devil's Sword has always been powerful." Yevrah said. "It always contained a little bit of Demise, but after his destruction, a core part of it has gone missing. If we get that core back, its power will be yours again."
"We believe that Demise imbued a kind of revival magic inside the sword." Raseac explained in his halfhearted tone. "That power was conserved for a long time so he may revive the abandoned souls of the Negaverse. Revive them in the hatred which consumed them and fed demons."
"My girlfriend told me about a Grand Inferius." Nerehc recounted. "Is that…"
"No, I met my Positive once, and he found it in a Japanese book." Yevrah informed. "The Grand one requires a lot more complicated steps and the zombies would be unstoppable. What Demise did was make a grand-scale normal Inferius."
"Huh… hate to see the real one."
"Now, the missing core of the Devil's Sword is the sword's soul itself. Boy, do you know that mask you showed me on Christmas?"
"Yeah, you took it?"
"It looked familiar and I was examining it," Yevrah pulled the white, smiling mask up, "I think it's the core we've been looking for. If you would… place it on the sword."
Nerehc walked up and withdrew the cold, dark sword from the stump. Confused about all of this, he placed the mask on the hilt. …Its empty eyes glowed white, the whole mask following as the sword exploded a blinding light. He squinted his eyes, the sunglasses partially blocking, and as the light increased in size, the Black Lotus shielded their selves. (Play Ghirahim's Theme from Zelda: Skyward Sword.)
A silvery-white figure was kneeled on the spot, his back facing them. The slim, posh figure turned to them with purple-edged dark eyes, a bang of white hair over his left, pointed ears with diamond earrings, and diamond patterns along his body with a gold waistband with a red jewel. The man stared at them for several longing moments, as if awaiting an explanation or trying to understand. His gaze shifted everywhere, before going down at Nerehc. He then stared at his hands, his eyes trembling as he boiled with psychotic rage. "My MASTER. ...Wheeeeere is my MASTEEEEEERRRR?" He grabbed Nerehc by the shirt and held him against the ground.
"…I am your master." Nerehc told him sternly. "My mom absorbed what's left of him and now he's inside of me."
Ghirahim's eyes widened, taken aback in shock. He released and backed away slowly, consumed in deep fear. "My… Master…" He turned away and sunk to his knees. "This can't be. My Ma-aste-er." He gave the sensation of crying, though no tears fell. "Reduced to mortals… where have we come… where have we…"
"SERVAAAAANT of darkness! Know where thine place LIIIEEES." Reilicaf sang, raising a Cross. "The rule that was Demise has since ended. He walks in this boy's shoes."
"This boyyyy." Ghirahim faced Nerehc with a wicked smirk. "Has he the gusto to call himself Master?" He licked his lips. "Will he really stand so different from Lehcar? Follow darkness and evils?"
"…Actually… no I'm not."
"Then how DARE YOU MOCK ME!!" Ghirahim clutched his shoulders and started shaking. "You who carry the legacy of Hatred, INSULT him with a PURE SOOOOUUL?!"
"My soul isn't pure. I have as much anger and hate as anyone else in this godless world."
"Really?" Ghirahim smirked, getting to his eye-level. "With what?"
"The way that everybody keeps hating each other. The fact we can never see the sun. The fact that a soulless, spiteful person out there is ABUSING millions of souls!!"
"Hnn." Ghira gritted teeth. "How typical."
"How did you get in that mask?"
"Ohhh, I was so enjoying myself, finally reunited with my master, our energies finally as one. But the moment he was destroyed, I was returned to my gorgeous body. Weakened… ill… I wanted to return to my sword… but nay… that hideous human with all the masks… played an atrocious song… and sealed me inside that mask! And now, even as I stand here in the diamond… I feel so empty inside. What… is this hollow feeling?"
"If I am given to understand, you have a longing for your former master." Yevrah intervened. "Perhaps you want to see him again."
"Hnnnn. And I suppose a simple God-follower like yourself is going to help me?"
"Help yourself. Help Nerehc. You can help him get in touch with his soul. The Devil exists inside him the same as it did Ganondorf, and Nerehc possesses his power. Once Nerehc is in tune, he can use it."
"So that's what this is about." Nerehc deduced. "Alright then, let's do it."
"Hold on, boy! This ain't just some spirit, this Demise here!" Yevrah spoke cautiously. "When you get in touch with him, he will try to control you. You must use every ounce of strength to maintain yourself while using his powers. I am an Exorcist, a spiritual expert who banishes and controls evil beings who've infiltrated a soul. I'll keep you under control when you're fighting him, but you have to handle part of the work, too. His powers will be the only means of destroying what Aluben's become. Are you ready?"
"…Yes. But you guys…" Nerehc glared at Ydnew, "I want you to go up to DNKG H.Q. and teach those aliens a lesson. Save any captured operative up there. Will you do that for me?"
She nodded, as did Nil and Niyus. "Right."
"Mmm hnn hnn, okay." Ghirahim smirked, facing Nerehc with hands ready. "We'll just see how long you LAST!" The moment he touched Nerehc's head and chest, a light encased them. (End song.)
Nerehc was standing in darkness, a dim purple glow on his body as faint violet flames burned in the distance. "So… I see you have finally decided to visit us." A thundering, imperial voice spoke.
"How long we have been cooped inside here… suffocating." A demonic, more sinister voice spoke.
"Hu!" Nerehc gaped. The embodiments of hatred and evil their selves stood before him, towering high. All… one of them.
Demise and Malladus Uno shared a single, two-headed body, various parts of their skin black or blue, and shared each other's body parts. "YOU'RE FUSED TOGETHER?!?" Nerehc screamed.
"Yyyyyyeah… after he absorbed my power, this kind of… happened." Malladus said with shame.
"Being of my position, I wouldn't mind the pole-position." said Demise. "But this is torture beyond repair."
"Wow, you guys… look so hilarious right now, I'm sorry."
"Well… at least it's not all of me." Malladus replied. "Part of me still exists in my descendants, that Cherry boy for instance. …'Tis disgrace to the Uno name."
"But more importantly, what the devil took Ghirahim so long?"
"He was a little… tied up."
"Oh, whatever. At least we were able to get contact with you. Now… if you don't mind-"
Nerehc drew his sword, "Oh I DO mind. You're going to lend me more of your power, and I'm using it to stop Aluben."
"HEH hehr hah. The DEMON Kings lending a single mortal their power? You are one to humor, Boy… but once your soul is ours, we will have control. The glory that is MALLADUS will rise again! …With special back-up." He smirked at his other half.
Demise glared. "Oh, the second we take this kid's body, I am KICKING you out."
"Oh, it's a pleasure for me to let a king so uncannily feeble roam around in a mortal's bones. Why, I wouldn't be surprised if you wanted to suck on one's face."
"You'd be no different from ME, you thieving-!"
"Uhhhh… guys?" They looked at Nerehc. "We're supposed to be fighting?"
"…" They exchanged glances. "Right." The battle immediately began, both devils lunging forward to smash a fist down at Nerehc, who dodged aside and blocked a punch using his sword. They used combined heat vision that zoomed up the ground, Nerehc dodging and flying with rocket shoes as he dodged their swift punches like a fly. He charged lightning in his fingers and struck Malladus's face, and when Demise tried to focus and punch him, Nerehc flew between the heads and tricked the demon into punching his successor. Malladus grabbed and choked Demise's neck, but remembering Nerehc as he flew by, they tried to chase, only to realize Nerehc tied their tail around the legs so they'd trip. They escaped and released furious beams of fire, but when Nerehc dodged, they zipped over and punched Nerehc away.
Outside, Nerehc's mouth was struck open, a light swallowing his circular eyes while Ghirahim kept touch on his chest and head. "The two souls (actually three) which share his body are now fighting for control. Soon, Master, you will be free…" He licked his lips.
"Not if I got somethin' to say." Reilicaf stated, sticking Crosses in a circle in the ground.
"…What's that?" Itaav spoke, hearing a vast, eerie moan. A cloud of dust was coming from the distant mountains, ghostly blue auras inside them. As they drew nearer, the Lotus members realized they were reanimated corpses, glowing black and yellow eyes in their sockets.
"Those skeletons! They must've come from Aluben's body!" Little Aunt gasped.
"But this way, she can be in multiple places at once." Ydnew realized. "We have to-"
"No." Itaav stopped her. "You kids need to go to DNKG Headquarters and save Nerehc's friends. Leave this to the adults. Ydnew, only your spacebending can get them there."
"…" Ydnew wasn't comfortable leaving her father behind, a man she had come to respect better, but the forces looked formidable. "Okay."
Yeoj slid off her neck and morphed into a spacecraft built for three. Ydnew, Nil, and Niyus climbed into the cockpit. "Let's go." The ship shot off into the stars as Ydnew focused energy, and they warped.
The Black Lotus members charged forward as Itaav raised the earth with his matterbending and rolled it toward the corpses like a carpet. Raseac pulled out a potted plant, spun around, and stretched it into a huge thick vine that he blasted forward to punch them away. Little Aunt raised two large syringes with pink toxin, controlling said poison through the vials as they flew around and sliced the corpses like swords. They proved formidable against the corpses, but the undead beings showed no signs of quitting. Meanwhile, the fight was even more dramatic inside Nerehc's own body; he was still on the outside, but a titanic clash of power internal.
Somewhere in Aixalag
The spacecraft appeared somewhere barren, Ydnew once again having to regain herself after exerting such power. "Huff… Oitnemid said these were the coordinates his planet used to be located. That's why his niece would've created a base here. You sure you're okay, Yeoj?"
Eyes and a mouth appeared on the control deck. "Yeah, 'long as I don't have me lungs. We better find that place soon."
"I don't SEE anything!" Nil shook furiously. "Where are we, Ihs?"
"Just dead space, Master…" her shadow responded.
"Just help keep an eye out, girls- er, shadows." Ydnew told them. "As soon as those aliens know we're coming, the sooner they'll-"
A string of lasers rained from above and struck the right wing. "They'll give us the welcome fire. Also, OOOOWWWWW!" Yeoj screamed.
"Put on your helmets, girls!" Ydnew ordered, putting on an air helmet and warping herself to the ship's roof. Psiw were swarming from all directions as Ydnew threw Starbursts rapidly, creating Space Blocks when lasers threatened to strike the cockpit. A string of Psiw that formed a great long spaceworm whirled toward them, threatening to tie and crush the ship, so Ydnew snapped her fingers rapidly to warp each one. "Where's their base?!"
"I dunno, but Ihs says there's a BIG and SCARY TREE up there." Nil pointed.
"That IS the base, Dummy!" Us yelled.
Ydnew gasped. Hovering right above their heads was a tremendous, mechanical tree, its metal branches hanging to the side designed dead, leafless, and it bore the cold, grey color of a gravestone. Another laser shot Yeoj, Ydnew almost falling from the shake. "You are NOT boosting my self-confidence any!!"
"We have to get inside there!"
"If I take another shot, MY insides will pop out!"
"Grrrrr!"
Far ahead, an Ice Psiw charged and released a huge sphere of ice, Ydnew raising a Block with all her strength in the hopes it would block. A blast from an alternate source destroyed it, allowing Ydnew to conserve strength. The four of them looked up and gaped at the oncoming fleet of Nimbi ships.
"Naipyks Daring New Kids, destroy them all!" Ibsej declared. Within seconds, dark ships with steel angel wings clashed with the tiny Psiw, cluttering the space like a cloud of angry locusts. "We're giving you a chance to go in, hurry up!"
"Yeoj, take us in!" Ydnew ordered bravely.
"Takin' a ride on your back once we're in." The ship said angrily as it somersaulted up and into the landing bay.
Prison branch
Various DNKG sectors who refused surrender were captured and locked inside electrical barriers. "W-W-W-Whaddyou think's gonna happen to us?" Sirhc stuttered.
"Probably going to carve out our bones and eat them." AlyakAm replied.
"The marrow always sounded pretty tasty." Egroeg followed.
The base shook slightly as screams and scrambling of troops were heard down the hall. "What are they doing out there?" Ennael asked.
"I dunno, but I reckon we're about to become noble sacrifices." Nollid said.
"…" Sipa glanced at Ininap, who was on her knees in prayer. "Oh, please don't tell me…"
"Ay'm praying for the gods to help us."
"You see—the whole idea of God is what got us IN this mess! Face it, the gods don't care about us, they threw us down here so they wouldn't have to pay attention, now the only excuse of a god we have is building an army of dead people, I challenge you to name ONE convenient thing your praying can bring us in the next 10-"
"QUICK, hide me!" Emorej suddenly rushed in and dove into a trashcan. A gang of Psiw glided in, searched around for a brief second, then flew away like lazy guards. Emorej climbed out and started to type codes into the cell's terminals. "This invasion was pretty convenient. I'm going to get you all out of here."
Ininap passed a sheepish "I told you so" grin to Sipa, who snapped her teeth and made the former cower. "And you're betraying your sister becaaauuuuse?"
"Mmmm… I didn't know how far Aluben would take this. I was always against this whole empire scheme, but I had to help her 'cause she and Mom kept bonebending me. Everyone is mean to me too, and now it's only going to get worse. If I had to choose, well… I'd rather die with you guys either way."
"Aluben said her dad was an emotionbender. Does that mean you…?" Sipa inquired.
"…" Emorej whimpered. "He is, but…but I don't have ANY bending! WHUUUUUUUHHHH!"
"OKAAY!" He was startled by Sipa's shout, silencing him. "Just get us out."
As soon as he imprinted codes in the whole prison wing, he pressed a switch at the end to disable all barriers. "We're eternally grateful for braving the dangers to get those codes!" Ynohtna saluted.
"Actually, um… somebody hijacked one of the ships and stole the codes for me." The boy blushed.
The moment he was released, a whiff hit Nosam's nose, and immediately he knew. "!! Do you mean… it's my…"
"Hey, everybody! Who's ready to head home!" the familiar voice announced cheerily.
"LORAAAAAAC!" Nosam zipped to the end of the hall in half a second. She smiled humorously while stretching her foot forward to hold him back. "My-dearest-I-knew-you'd-come-here-dearest-Lorac-never-abandons-us-never-abandon-me!"
"I'd turn him into a frog if I had my wand." Nollid said.
"Which is why I so happened to find the room where they were keeping all your stuff and stuff it in this." Lorac raised her Infi-Cube, pushed the button, and let dozens of items fly out. Yddam recovered her Fishman gloves, Ahcniea her surgeon supplies, Ynned's baseball and bat, and Nollid's wand.
"…Where's mine?" Sipa asked, unable to find her wand.
"That's… all I found in there, I wouldn't know." Lorac replied.
"Come on, let's just get outta here!" Ikuyim yelled.
More Psiw were coming as Yllas and Yevrah threw their tops forward, holding onto them with strings while blades emerged on their sides and knocked the minions out of the air. "Kudos on your Positives for the idea!" Ynohtna noted. Wave after wave of Psiw came, but proved no match to the dozens of loyal Earthlings. Finally, they made it to the central chamber outside.
"If I remember correctly," Yrrah began in his geeky voice, "the exact route we were taken up is-" Before they had any chance of going forward, they were forcibly brought to their knees.
A line of merkids floated in their wake using bubble floaties, Annaira behind them as they held the kids in their bloodbending. "If I AM correct, the best route your knees should follow is… at the angle." She stated cruelly. "Just past the archway of your arms… and the spiral stairway of your neck."
Their arms were tied behind them, and no matter how much they tried to resist, their necks were close to twisting. The only one who showed any effort was Nosam, who remained firm in a squat, his arms raised but not tied, and his teeth gritted as he kept his head straight. "Hmph. Maybe an extra PUSH." Annaira grabbed him, the boy flinching as he almost forced into position.
"Huuuuuuuuhhhh!" Even with two blood grips, Nosam kept resisting. "I have something that's… more powerful than… bloodbending…"
"Oh, of course. He's a waterbender too, isn't he." Anna recalled.
"Not just… I-I have… tears… Tears…" Seeing Lorac struggling on the ground, neck threatening to snap, gave Nosam all the power he needed, "OF LOVE!" Faster than they came, Nosam shot upright and yanked two streams of tears from his eyes.
"TEARBENDING? EWWWWW." groaned the merkids.
Nosam turned them into two long whips and swung them against the merkids. Sicnarf leapt over and started dealing Haki punches against them. "Secure this whole place! It'll make escaping all the easier!" On his cue, the dozens of operatives hurried separate directions.
After her merkids were brutally attacked, Annaira escaped down an alternate hallway full of pipes, hiding behind one when she heard footsteps rushing. "Hcaz, shouldn't we just find a way out?" Yddam panted. "Those people outside might blow us up."
"If what they said about Aluben is true, going back to Earth won't really matter. We can try to make a difference by taking out these-" Once again, they were forced into a kneeling position.
"You should've listened to her. Because…" Annaira stepped out, "I'm your worst enemy at the moment. Hwhy do you think I'm Aluben's Number Negative One, mm hm hm hm hm!"
"Why don't you loosen your grip a little and fight us yours-AAAAHH!" Hcaz's back was bent at an angle, followed by an abrupt angling of his left hip before Annaira bounced him between both walls and dropped him on the ground.
"Hmm, yes… but this feels so much easier."
"I'll bet it does… because you're a coward." Yddam grunted through her struggle.
"I beg pardon?" Anna smiled inquiringly.
"Bloodbending is a… really high-level move. You have… cool powers… that I always wanted. If I had waterbending, I…I'd want to make the most use out of it, not use the same power, over and over. But you're just… afraid to fight directly. That's why it's easier… to control people. Coward."
"You call me a coward? What have you got to show? You would never last against me in a normal fight."
"Or maybe you know about my Fishman Karate. I have something to use against you. Suddenly, I… make you afraid. Because you just can't… fight by yourself."
Annaira glared, releasing her Blood Grasp. "You want a fair fight? Fine. Fishman Karate, the normal's mean of substituting bending, versus the real thing. I'll fight to the fairest of my strength!" Waving her arms, Anna popped open the valves on the pipes and surrounded herself in a ring of water. Yddam fixed her Fishman gloves on tight.
"I found a book about Element Arts. It said even though people aren't born with element chi, everyone has Personal Chi that can be mixed with the elements if they move and meditate like benders." Sirhc explained that Christmas. "So people can learn martial arts that mimic element bending."
"I know. That's what I read about Fishman Karate."
"So, I got these gloves because their moist feel help people learn Fishman Karate better. I guess because it's better to be wet a lot; I thought you might wanna use them."
"Thanks, Sirhc. I think I will."
Yddam folded her hands and closed her eyes. A misty scent was in the air, leaking from the pipes, cooling her hands through the gloves. She punched her knuckles, forcing out two gushes of water, and punched forward, sending blast after blast at Annaira, who shielded with her wall. Anna sent double cyclones at Yddam, who dodged left and ran at Anna to punch, but her fist came in contact with Hcaz's face when Anna yanked him over. "HEY! You said you would fight fair!"
"I'm fighting fair by not bloodbending you." Anna corrected. "Now I'm using strategy." Yddam dodged Hcaz's forced punches, running back and punching her arms to send water blasts at Anna, who used Hcaz as a shield again. "You're going to kill me, Yddam." he grunted.
With Sector ZR
"Where d'you think this leads?" Ynned asked as the team followed a hallway full of wires and machinery.
"Judging by the increasing amounts of metal and robots, this is the power station, but as lots of cords appear to be rerouted in this direction, I can only presume much of the energy is being focused to one room, possibly to give extra power to Atnort as he is a lightningbender, so we'll no doubt have to face him." Atawid summarized.
"As calculating as always." Eel Nosyarg proclaimed, trapping them inside a ball of metal panels he rose from the floor. However, Atawid evaded capture.
"I also presumed, this area being rich in metal, Eel would ambush us, though by not mentioning and leading him to suspect us, it was easy to avoid his trap and throw this." She chucked Ynned's baseball at Eel's head, bouncing back and distracting him while Ennael broke open the metal trap.
"We'll take care of this." Ennael said as Ynned and Atawid continued forward.
The duo arrived at an otherwise dark room with many towers with electrical spheres on top. "Welcome to the Power Station!" Atnort declared from the center. "Home of-"
"I already deduced the general vicinity and who we'd be fighting." Atawid said.
"SHUT UP! I heard o' you from Eel's reports, Atawid the Human Calculator. You're good at deducing outcomes and patterns, but you don't last in a REAL fight, huh!"
"I will not be fighting. Ynned will destroy you and I will watch from the background."
"WHAT?!" the boy panicked.
"Good luck!" Atnort retorted. "No matter how much calculating you do, lightning is swift and unpredictable. I'm right here, but I might go-" He zapped to their left and struck a blast at Ynned.
"I leave this to you, Ynned." Atawid retreated against the wall.
"YOU'RE USELESS!"
"Better stay on guard!" Atnort summoned a bolt from one of the spheres to Ynned, the boy dodging hurriedly.
With Sector -W7
The team of five hurried down an almost barren hallway, except for the steadily increasing amount of toxic gas. "Sipa, can't you give me another one of those potions?" Asia asked, trying to protect with a huge air bubble.
"Not without my wand." she informed.
Three waves of oil were thrown into the bubble, Asia quickly stopping it so it didn't slosh around, but were forced to hold their breath as a brownish-green fog consumed them. "I'm about sick of you guys." Yenmihc said, she and Ebnog wearing gas masks. "I'll take pleasure in poisoning you all."
Asia blasted a powerful air gust and expanded a bubble to blow the gas away. "Not unless we clean you first."
"You don't think I brought back-up? Get 'em, fatsos." The hall began trembling as a stampede of Nainozama stormed forward, ready to trample them. Asia blasted air gusts while Lirpa leaped around and kicked, causing efficient damage to the giants.
Sipa would take no part in it, however, escaping down an alternate passage. I'm useless without my wand. Ganon-sama, I know this is your means of torturing me, but I wish to let myself suffer further by disobeying your will. If I can see Nerehc again, I'll pay you a thousand souls, maybe more.
As if by a stroke of luck, Sipa found a chamber with a vault that was clear open. "Was this where Lorac said she found everything? If it is, she could've left my wand in here after all."
"No. She didn't." The vault slowly closed, as Ynnad Noskcaj threw off his cloak. "I kept it for myself." He crossed two wands in an X, and Sipa plainly noticed the left one:
"HEY, that's my wand!"
"Wood from the Tree of Ending, 10 inches, and devil's tail for a core. Very nice, very nice. But you know that when you make a deal with the Devil, it'll BITE YOU." He aimed Sipa's wand and used Crucio.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!" Sipa was writhing in pain, a pastime she always enjoyed doing to others. Now that her own wand was being used against her, the unbearable pain now directed at her…
"All you Ganonists is why the Negaverse is so dark; why we had to rely on Aluben to give us a better world, people like you who admire Nerehc… may every soul you tortured return their due. Legilimens!"
A wave of memories washed over her, starting with the day her grandpa first bought her wand at 5 years old. "Crucio!" The first spell she wanted to use on the neighbor's puppy. "Crucio!" Her wand aimed at a snoozing baby in a stroller. "Imperio!" She brainwashed a random boy. "Go stab your sister's cat." "Haha!" Then came the Jelly-Leg Curse on a feeble old lady. On the day a couple got married, she turned the man into a woman. When an athlete was about to finish a 500-mile marathon, she turned him into an ant and crushed him. When a hospital helicopter was transferring a sick child over, she threw the Reducto and blew it to pieces. She then attended a college graduation, and the last one to walk up and receive his diploma, she let an Avada Kedavra slip.
She would pay for every soul she tortured, every tear she shed. She knew, from the very first time, her soul was bound for eternity of punishment. The pain she was knowing right now, irreparable and internally scarring… what pain awaited her when she went to that world.
"That's enough." A magical shield appeared between her and Ynnad. Both looked as Nollid entered the room. "You caused quite a bit of pain yourself, Ynnad. Betraying your sister for that witch."
"And that's next to the crimes THIS girl has done?!"
Nollid looked at Sipa, who still appeared traumatized from the pain. "I won't lie… Sipa's irredeemable, and probably shouldn't have her wand back at all. But can you honestly say that Aluben is any different?"
"At least she's TRYING to make a difference! With all DNKs united, no one fighting one-another, our universe can finally be peaceful."
"It sounds good when you say it that way… but Aluben kinda screwed up with the army of dead guys thing, so no." Nollid blasted swift stunning spells that Ynnad blocked, and the magic battle started.
Team Ynohtna
"YAAAH!" Aenara flew forward and kicked Yllas away, swiftly dodging Yevrah's top afterward before kicking off the wall and into him. Being as tall as she was, Aen was never one to be stealthy and just liked going at her enemies head-to-head, and she wouldn't hesitate to show this with her former teammates.
"You can do it, friends!" Ynohtna cheered from the background. "Remember, it's spirit that wins battles, not just strength!"
"THEN GET OVER HERE AND HELP!"
"Strength also plays a factor, and I don't have it!"
"Wow, aren't you a real wuss." a squeaky voice said from behind. Ynohtna turned, finding little tiny Beewv glaring at him.
"Well, hello little guy! I know we're on opposing sides, but would you like to be friends?" As a response, Beewv raised his swords, zipped to Ynohtna's shoes, and started stabbing through, making the human jump. "Hey-! Hey-! Ow! Ow!"
"Think you're a big MAN, tryin' to show mercy to the little guy?? WELL, I'LL SHOW YOU MERCY! AAAAAAHHHHH!" Faster than Ynohtna could keep track, Beewv began zipping to every corner of his body, tiny tears in clothing the only trace of his being there.
Ynohtna panted once Beewv stopped to rest. "Wow, you're really tough. But I'm a boy of no violence, so I will defeat you without even raising a fist!"
"YOU SAYING YOU'RE TOUGHER THAN ME?! Well, LET'S DANCE!" So another onslaught of slashes came.
Lower quarters
Ydnew had infiltrated the base and was splorping every Nairuomolg she came across, Yeoj in the form of a red hat on her head. "It sounds like the prisoners already escaped. Stay close to me girls, we'll-" The brief moment she turned around, she realized she wasn't being followed. "Nil? Niyus? Where did they go?"
"Oh, Nil got curious and Us chased her down another hallway 'bout 10 minutes ago." Yeoj replied.
"And you didn't TELL me?!"
"I'm your cap, not your eyes."
Angered, Ydnew threw the Metamorpher on the floor and stomped him. "Whoooa!" She was immediately blown away by a Psycho Sphere, quickly warping back to place before it exploded.
"I've been observing your behavior during your visit to Dnaleci." Yrret informed, floating to the floor. "And I must say, if this is your true appearance, I DON'T approve."
"Well, why don't you go suck a lollipop, Loser?"
"No cavities for me, thanks. I'd much rather a shot at administering discipline."
"That's not your business!" Ikuyim announced before kicking Yrret around the side from behind. "A child's discipline must be left to the parents. Which reminds me." She turned to Ydnew and bowed humbly. "I'm very sorry for interfering with your business. I was only trying to help."
Since Ydnew herself banished Ikuyim to another dimension, ergo she should be the one apologizing, this girl confused her. "You remind me of a certain twerp I know."
"Harumf!" Yrret recovered. "If you ladies insist on roughhousing, I'll have to administer full force, yyyYES SIR-reeeee!" He lunged forward in flight.
"Let's whup his butt!" Ydnew exclaimed, Space Blocking him.
"Right!" Ikuyim nodded determinedly.
Dark corridors
"It's too daaaaarrrk! I can't see, Uuuuus!" Nil whined.
"Our shadows can't see either, all the lights are out! HELLOOOOO?"
"Never cared much for light. Don't need it."
"What'd you say?" Nil asked.
"Wasn't me."
"You scared? Don't worry. I'll make it all end."
"DWAAAAH!" The girls ducked when gunshots rained everywhere around them.
Avakam blew the smoke out. "My antenna detects the vibration of your footsteps. I don't need to see to know where you are. To know where to… shoot you."
"Watch out, Niiiil!" Us screamed, pulling her sister down as bullets flew again.
"When to shoot, when to shoot… that's the hunter's way. There's no fun like hunter's play… before she finally takes her prey." She continued blasting random directions, making the girls cower.
Realm of Shadows
Arorua's bones were back inside her body, and areas where her flesh was ruptured were bandaged. "To achieve ourselves immortal… we concentrated all of our chi into our bones… to keep our souls bound to them." Oitnemid spoke hoarsely, a grey white energy flowing from his hands over his patient. "The bones are that which bind the soul to flesh, powered by the heart, but we have worked around that. Ages after the soul leaves, the bones become soil, and breathe life to the earth. Any chi that existed within them helps the world grow. …We have long denied our bones that chance."
"But aren't you afraid of… dying?"
"Living or dying… is all a risky process. No matter who it is, a child's soul will always be bound for the Spirit World should they pass before their time. Their minds are undeveloped, innocent. Adults, however… become more aware of their decisions as they get older. Their soul may be tarnished, conducting unforgivable sins. However… the exact opposite may happen. Their deeds can be unforgettable. A soul must always know what it means to live. Child… these bones of yours are precious. I will use the last of my chi so that your soul may continue to be healthy- uu-uuh!" He sunk.
"Ointment!" Arorua gasped.
He smiled assuringly. "I'm fine." With that, he returned to healing. "I will finally know how an old man feels… when his bones give out."
"But where'll you end up? Negatives' souls aren't taken by Reapers…"
"True… I might end up consumed in hate like those thousands of others. There are souls out there, I know… who are also pure. They live the afterlife as they had their mortal life: joy, pain, sadness. And with those they loved… to be a soul is to live, not wonder where we'll go in the end. Live… uuuuhhh." He slumped again.
"Mister…"
Oitnemid smiled and resumed. "Just knowing a child like you… at the end of my life… lifts my soul to no end."
Arorua coughed a small chuckle, lying peacefully on the table while shadows watched them through the holes. It was so lovely… how fast her pain was subsiding. All of it…
DNKG H.Q.
Ynned frantically ran around the towers as lightning struck everywhere, keeping a sharp eye wherever Atnort might be, and when he saw the crippled alien above a tower, he flew his baseball forth. When it struck the electric sphere, a surge of lightning struck Ynned painfully. "EEUUUUHHH!"
"Hah hah ha!" Atnort zipped. "Lightning is everywhere!" Warped. "Lightning is unceasing!" Again. "Lightning is FIERCE!" Back to where he was. "Let's see if you can dodge this." He sent power to all towers, letting blinding beams of blue lightning skim around everywhere.
Ynned covered his head while he ran, knowing he'd get struck eventually, but just afraid when it would come. Finally a beam got him, his body flashing furiously before they all ceased. Atnort zipped there and there, kicking Ynned's soot-covered body everywhere. "A-Atawi-i-id… he-elp me-e…"
"Your brain is more expendable than mine, you are the worthy choice for this fight."
Ynned aimlessly swung his bat in the hopes of hitting his opponent, but Atnort was faster and wiser, striking him from every direction. He got between two poles and attracted the lightning to his tentacles, wiggling them forward as mini bolts struck, which Ynned dodged. He then smashed his hands to the floor and sent a powerful electric current, stunning Ynned to great extent before Atnort punched him away.
Outside, Eel was controlling the deactivated robots with his bending and smashing their fists at Ennael, while the latter controlled her own and clashed with them. "Ulul, I could use some help here!"
Her friend stared intently at a potted plant in her hand, softly waving her hand above it. "Now now, growing a plant takes time, even plantbenders have to get it just right."
"Ahhh, metal and unnatural habitats. No wonder plantbenders were so useless." Eel said smugly. He sent three robots to push down one of Ennael's, who dodged around before they fell and crushed her, only to end up trapped in a floor panel Eel rose. Ulul's plant was in the budding process, and while the leaves hung to the side, the flower was closed and growing.
Pumping room
Yddam kept several feet from Annaira while the latter was sending wave after wave, and when Yddam tried to send waves back, Hcaz served as a shield. "Put him down!" she yelled, dodging water gushes from the side.
"Hm hm, what are you going to do!" Anna arose two large worms of water and lunged them for Yddam, who raised both hands and held them back with all her strength. She clutched the worms tight and lashed down, splattering them as Anna was blinded by the droplets, allowing Yddam to flip over with a whirling water-slice. Anna stepped back and defended, pushing away other gushes Yddam sent before grabbing the girl in her Blood Grasp.
"HUUU!" Yddam was forced to her knees, and Anna attempted to twist her body. Yddam fought the control and kicked her shoe off to Anna's face, and during that weakened moment, Yddam punched four consecutive gushes before running forward and punching Anna in the neck.
"Uuuck-!" Anna choked on her own scream, blood droplets flying out as she tumbled backwards. Angered, she attempted to grab Yddam, but when unable to, the latter sent her back with another gush. "Uuuh-HUAK. Why can't I…"
"I read books about bending, you know." Yddam informed. "Bloodbenders focus their chi in the neck. You won't be using it, anymore."
"Did you forget I still have my normal bending? ?" Anna spun together another water ring and sent random gushes that Yddam countered. Yddam dove headfirst into the wall, Torpedo Spun, and bashed Annaira into a soggy room with more pipes. "I would say you pushed me to this." she retorted before pulling more water to her will and spinning a cyclone below her. She began chasing Yddam using her dangerous perch, aiming to shred her.
Viewing walkway
Yrret encased himself in a psychic bubble and bounced around, Ydnew creating a Space Block to push him back. "Can't you do anything?!" she yelled at Ikuyim.
"Not unless I have earth."
Ydnew glanced around annoyedly, realizing a huge glass wall lay over the walkway, meteors floating outside among the warring ships. "Not earth, but I have space." Ydnew focused and decreased the size of a meteor before warping it beside them. Ikuyim lifted and sent it at Yrret with her bending, then followed with more meteors that Ydnew summoned. Anger fueled Yrret as he exploded a barrier to blow the meteors away, then threw Psycho Spheres against Ydnew's Starbursts.
Dark room
"Uuuuuhhhh-uuuuuhhhh-uuhh-" Nil reached an arm- "EEEEE!" placed it back on her head when Avakam shot, both girls shuddering. "Whaddo we do, Us?"
"Hm hm hm." Avakam smirked in the darkness. "The moment I feel your vibrations kick up, the moment I shoot. Theeeere theeeeere, lit-tle shadoooowwws. Cooooome to Aviiiiieee."
"Darn it, we can't move, and our shadows can't see if no light is making shadows." Us whispered.
"I don't wanna die, Us."
"Come on, Ruh, do something."
"Yes, Ihs, pleeeaaase."
Both shadows exchanged glances (or meant to) and left their masters. They made nary a sound, but glided around aimlessly in search for the hunter. Wherever she was, the darkness concealed her well, and the shadows ended up flying for the exit. They soared all around the walls of the base for anything that might help.
Stair shaft
"Nnn, nnn! STOP moving and FIGHT!" Beewv whined, trying his hardest to slice the quick-moving Ynohtna.
"I shall fight without raising a fist!" the boy beamed, hands behind his back. "Instead I shall raise my feet, away from you!"
"YaaaAAAH!" Yllas and Yevrah were riding kid-size tops with blades on the edges, Aenara leaping to kick them off, then balanced on both tops' handles.
"Back right atcha, shorties!" The kids ran as Aen chased them, during which she rolled the left top up along the wall using the blades, then slammed it down in their path to knock them off their feet.
"If I had my mom's fearbending, I'd teach her a lesson!" Yllas said fiercely.
"Well, ya don't! So get ready to be spliced!" Both kids dove aside and over the edge, Yllas grabbing Yevrah with her legs and hovering briefly with her sleeves. Aenara skimmed around the wall via the tops' blades, grabbed the handles, and leapt with a venomous grin to splice the twins.
Toxic hall
Asia kept a large bubble blowing to scare away Nainozama, but a few braved the dangers and broke through, grabbing her like a birdie and slamming her against the floor. "Aaahh!" One of the giantesses started flailing her arms ragingly and bashing her teammates, for Ahcniea latched onto a nervous point below her neck and pierced it with mega-frequency needles to remove her of self-control. At the same time, Lirpa succeeded in wrapping legs around the neck of a Nainozama, forcing her to charge around like an angry bull and trample others. Hers and Ahcniea's girls were coming for each other, and with a mighty collision, their heads met before falling dizzy.
Ardnusyrhc, the Nainozama leader, wanted to get away from the violence, so she found her way to a closet with crates and metal barrels. "Siiigh…?" She noticed the lid of one of the crates was slanted, so she crept over, curious. There was a little eye peering at her from its darkness, and when Ardnus raised the lid, Ahcom was shuddering. "Oh… hello."
"Eeeeep! D-Don't hurt me!" Ahcom braced for cover.
"O-… I'm sorry." Ardnus picked her up gently. "I didn't mean to frighten you. What are you doing here?"
"I'm… hiding from the scary stuff. I don't like fighting."
"It's okay. I don't like fighting either." She smiled warmly. "I'm not very strong."
"But you're big."
"I know… but, I'm just so afraid of getting hurt. I joined Aluben so she wouldn't hurt me anymore."
"Aluben is mean. Why does she like hurting people?"
"I don't know. …Are those your friends out there?"
"Yes. Are those yours?"
"Yes. I'm only hiding because you guys are tough."
"That's why I'm hiding."
"…Hehehehehehehe!" They blushed and giggled at the irony. "My name is Ahcom."
"I'm Ardnusyrhc. Call me Ardnus."
"Hi, Ardnus. Do you wanna be friends?"
"Okay."
"Great. …Will you help us beat Yenmihc?"
"Um… okay. Do you wanna see something cool I can do?"
"What?"
Vault room
Spells flew left and right between the two opponents; Nollid's head became a baby's, Ynnad became a cuckoo-clock, he sent a snake at him, Nollid made flowers sprout from his nose, Ynnad blew a cyclone of snot, and Nollid made bubbles appear around him that went "HAHAHAHAHA!" upon popping.
"This is getting nowhere!" Ynnad declared, crossing his wands in an 'X'. "I summon all the beasts of NATURE!" A bright magical circle appeared on the ceiling as dozens of many different animals rained down, from pigs, deer, flopping fish, gators, and kittens, either running around mindlessly or eating each other. In the chaos, Ynnad seemed to disappear, Nollid trying to dodge frantic monkeys and deer as he searched around.
"Did you see where he went?" Nollid asked Sipa.
"Maybe he's invisible."
"Hmm." Nollid put on his Falcon's Eyes and switched on the setting that sees through such trickery, and the chubby boy in question was scuttling between some animals. "Stupefy!" He fired and missed, hitting a giraffe. "Stupefy!" Hit a deer. "Stupefy!" Hit Canary Yram, who isn't nearly as annoying as her Positive counterpart. "Boy, fat guy is fast."
"What if he turned into an animal?" Sipa asked.
"He's an Animagus?"
"Animagi are more permanent, but he can change into an animal for a short time. Just wait him out."
Nollid saw Ynnad scuttling to a farther corner, seeing nothing after he raised his glasses. When some animals in that direction appeared bumped and scurried away, "Levicorpus!" Nollid succeeded in raising the then-invisible boy upside-down, his cloak falling off. "Good luck hiding from my Falcon's Eyes!"
"Ventus Tria!" Ynnad blasted a powerful gust of wind that blew all the animals against Nollid and Sipa, pushing them to the wall. He then helped himself down, "You haven't a clue what my Summoning Magic can do. Accio Fear Dragon!" He crossed the wands in an 'X', creating a portal where a black dragon with blood-red spots emerged, unleashing a venomous roar. Within seconds, both were entranced under his deafening scream.
Eporue; Dead Lands
Nerehc hurriedly dodged as the combo known as Demalladus (or perhaps Mallademise) threw swift furious punches, very fast despite his tremendous size. Nerehc raised his sword to block a punch, then took to the air when Malladus slashed his fingers. Demise swung his arm and sent Nerehc flying for miles, and when he recovered, Demalladus performed a mighty leap to punch down, Nerehc dodging under his legs and shooting lightning up in-between. "OH, THAT STILL HURRRTS!" both cried.
Outside, Itaav created a terrific canyon with all of his matterbending, reforming it all in the sky before sending it down to rebury every last corpse. Raseac created a beanstalk from his potted plant, with many huge branches that slammed all around the ground. Little Aunt then unveiled a belt of bottles of mesmerizing soap, using poisonbending to let all the bubbles fly forward and put the angered souls under a lightheaded trance. "A clean corpse leads to clean afterliving!" she spoke bubbly.
"Yevrah, how is Nerehc doing?!" Itaav called.
"He's tryin' his damnedest, but I dunno if it's working!"
"Khmm heh heh heh…" Ghirahim kept his hold, smiling evilly. "Our revenge is near, Master… the mortals will suffer before long."
Nerehc was panting, the demons merciful enough to give him a break, but they would be on him again before long. "I'm gonna have… a heck of a headache after this. There has to be… something… if only this sword was more…!" Nerehc stared at the ghostly white blade in his right hand. "My sword… that's it."
Ghirahim knelt and waited patiently. Any moment, his master will have control. "NNN! What?" An odd sensation overcame him. Suddenly, he didn't feel in control of himself. "What is… HAPPENIIIIING?"
Nerehc's body, though frozen and agape, was clutching the sword in its right hand. "Ghirahim! Help me defeat them!"
"NYEH!" Fast as light, the Demon Lord appeared in this subconscious with Nerehc. "What… AAH!" Against his will, he zipped up and kicked Demise square across the face, blood flying from his mouth. "M-Master!!" Malladus threw a punch at him, but Ghirahim warped behind and kicked, the demon falling to the ground. "Master, I don't understand! I don't…"
"He who possesses the chi of Demise controls the Devil's Sword." Nerehc smirked evilly. "I possess both… I possess power over you, Ghirahim. I am… the DEMON KING!"
"HUUOOOOH!" Nerehc slashed his sword with sheer gusto, controlling Ghirahim as he raised his own blades and slashed the two-headed demon. "M-Master." He was now forcibly keeping Demise's claws back with his swords. No matter how much he wanted to jump away, allow him to slay Nerehc, he couldn't.
"Ghirahim." He looked up when his former master spoke. "Are you truly intending to cry over me? Have you learned nothing? Your only purpose is to serve the one who holds the sword. Abandon these petty feelings of love. Know only hatred… for the POWER THAT BINDS YOU!"
If Ghirahim could make tears, he would be crying. "M-Master… I…I HATE YOOOOOUUU!!" His left hand and Nerehc's right clutched the Devil's Sword. They soared miles above the demon as the mountains of surrounding dark flames gathered on the blade, shining with unholy powers. "DARKNESS STRIKE!" They slashed a powerful dark beam directly at the vertical center of the two-headed demon.
DNKG H.Q.
Ennael and Eel each climbed into a giant robot, brawling each other with metalbending. Eel's grabbed the waist of Ennael's robot and crushed before Ennael's raised its claws and slammed down on Eel's arms, followed by a spin that knocked Eel's against the wall. Eel forced his robot to jump, though not very high, the force pushing Ennael's back and causing it to fall on its back. Before she could make it stand, the girl was grabbed by the claw of Eel's robot. "Sorry the sector won't be the same without me. Oh, wait… IT WAS ALWAYS ME."
And Ulul continued to stare at her flower, its exotic bud having grown the size of a soccerball. A glittering orange dust fluttered around its topmost hole, Ulul gazing at the ceiling window as a round, shining sun made its presence. "Solaris, God of Suns, let your light shine on life anew!" A white light shone from the bud's top as the petals slowly began to open. Ulul aimed the plant at Eel, who stared mesmerized at its sunny glow before a blinding laser swallowed him.
"AAAAAAHHHH!" Eel was covered head-to-toe in soot, his robot falling in defeat.
"…I will not ask where you learned a crazy plantbending move like that." Ennael said.
"My Positive showed me a Pokémon game when we went there." She smiled brightly. "That move was called the Solar Beam."
"Oh."
Viewing walkway
Yrret grabbed all the meteors Ikuyim sent using psychic and chucked them all back, Ydnew raising a Block to protect them. "Get ready, Ydnew!" Ikuyim raised one of the meteors and let Ydnew increase its size before the former sent it forward. Yrret grabbed it in psychic as the two were now in a shoving war, Earth vs. Psychic. But the outcome of this war would be tampered with when Yeoj crawled up Yrret's back as a metal centipede, then a chewing collar that wrapped around and crushed his neck.
"Ahh—what is this?! Get it off me, I say, this is not how one-" In his struggling, he hurdled the meteor toward the glass wall and blew open a hole, the girls immediately grabbing hold of the railing while Yrret was sucked outside. Yeoj was sucked up as well, but morphed into a huge red glop that covered the hole completely. Yrret was floating helpless in space, choking desperately for air. With quick thinking, Ydnew snapped her fingers and warped him back inside.
"Oh, goodness… I would've sworn you… HEY!!" He was dangling by the shirt in Ydnew's fingers.
"Wut, you're such a tough psychic, do the unshrink." she said witfully.
"I'll have you know I WILL perform such a maneuver, and YOU will—" Ydnew frantically shook Yrret like a ragdoll, knocking him senseless in seconds.
"I got maneuvers too, Shrimpling."
Pump room
Annaira had Yddam cornered, grinning with purest malice as her cyclone was about to shred her. She expected the cyclone to turn red with blood, but it didn't, as Yddam dove inside and shot to the top, punching Anna upside the face. Anna flew backward and flipped upright, lashing more waves that Yddam dodged to and countered, pushing Anna closer to a back wall of pipes. She tried to send another wave, but was met with a string of three water-punches to the face. Both girls panted tiredly, glaring spitefully as their bodies were soaking wet. "Had e…nough?…" gasped Yddam.
"I'm not through, yet!" Annaira leapt backward and fell down a vertical pipe her width. Yddam fearlessly ran after and dove inside. The pipe sunk for meters and meters, going so fast, Yddam shut her eyes from any fatal impact.
She splashed into a vast body of water, resurfacing for breath. She searched around cautiously in this darkness, no idea how far the chamber extended, or where the enemy had gone. A light droplet hit her scalp, and Yddam looked up. A terrifying lizard demon, shaped out of water with glowing eyes, snarled above her, Annaira inside its center. "NOW you're through!" Sharp, watery needles shot from the monster in attempt to pierce her, Yddam frantically swimming around the pool to dodge. Anna didn't stop for a second, her goal on killing Yddam set, a helpless fish bound to be stabbed by the hunter's darts.
She dove beneath the water and saw a light above the wall above the surface, a ladder beside it, so Yddam spun like a torpedo, shot out, and clutched the ladder. Anna kept stabbing, destroying the ladder as Yddam went up, but made it to the foothold in time. She couldn't stop to breathe, flipping rightward, then leaping above a wide metal pipe along the wall, then jumped off just when Anna's tentacle pierced. A great surge of electricity alighted the entire demon.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Anyone who could see might get a seizure, Annaira's skeleton flashing on and off like a light. It all stopped as the monster collapsed, Anna's body plopping on the floor. "-uuh." Her eyes were open, though senseless, her body cold, wet, and unmoving.
Yddam caught her breath and looked around, finding the sign that read, WARNING: Strong electrical current, use caution while working in the water. (We should probably move this.) "Hehehe… lucky." Yddam chuckled before following the exit out.
Power station
Atnort was behind him, Ynned swung, he was on his left, Ynned lashed, Atnort was above, Ynned did the arch-swing, before he was on the farthest end and warping every which way. But Atawid took note of how some of the electric towers died out.
Still panting, having gone beyond the point of exhaustion, Ynned answered a call from his friend-in-the-background. "The central pillar accumulates the primary amount of energy around the base via the surrounding pillars, there is a 60% chance Atnort's injury has prevented him from molding his usual amount of chi, ergo he's forced to use the tower for immediate recharges, every time he uses power, he warps above the tower for a brief recharge, the chance to attack him is when he warps."
Atnort began warping at a slight slower pace with the disabled towers, but kept going randomly for the sake of intimidating Ynned. The baseballer focused not on him, but the tower's top, catching that brief glimpse of Atnort in-between warps. Tossing his baseball high, awaiting it to fall, Ynned swung with all his might. The world fell to slow-motion as the ball flew directly toward the tower, Atnort appearing and vanishing for brief seconds. Just when the ball was about to touch that point, he appeared. 8I "Oh-"
It made contact with Atnort's teeth, the alien falling backward and landing as blood dripped from his mouth. He would be getting several visits from the Anti-Tooth Fairy. "Sigh… thanks… Eed." Ynned gasped.
"No problem. It was only guessing."
Dark corridor
Avakam was having so much fun. Nil and Niyus were shaking… she could feel it… oh, how much they feared death. "Poooor dears… how they moan… their blood will be fresh… down to the bone." She cocked her gun and locked on Niyus. "Good-bye… Child…"
"I wonder how your blood would taste, then."
"Huh?" Avakam turned. Ibyf's frizzy-haired form appeared from the blackness, green eyes drooping and zombie-like. "Aaaah! How did you find me up here?"
"I smelled your fear… how afraid you are… to face the inevitable. Instead, hide… in the shadows."
Avakam backed away fearfully. She gasped, feeling another presence, Aliehs behind her. "I wouldn't mind killing you. Let's climb in a cannon and fly miles over the sea."
Avakam's skin was crawling. She turned, finding Egroeg and AlyakAm. "We'll always be with you." The former said.
"Yes. Come into the Sulfury Void."
She fell in deepest fear, wondering what creature would come forth next. There it was… a smiling, innocent girl with blank white eyes. "Hi." said Ydolem.
"AAAAAAAHHHH!" Avakam ran off the ledge where she sat perched and through the endless darkness. "GET AWAY GET AWAY GET AWAY GET AWAY GET AWAAAAAYYY!" She ran and ran, but no matter how far she may get, darkness was infinite, darkness was inescapable, darkness would claim her soul. The speed of her legs and her heart increased when Ibyf, Aliehs, Egroeg, AlyakAm, and Ydolem's gigantic figures rose from the depths behind her. Their faces melted into venomous skulls, where Avakam's speed would play no factor as they lunged forward for dinner.
Ihs flipped the lights on as all stared at Avakam's shuddering form, trapped under Ibyf's stare. Both shadows flew down to their masters. "Thank you, guys! You saved Nil and Niyus!" Nil beamed.
"We're always happy to help our fellow kin." Though Ydolem was the only one that looked happy.
Stairway
"UUUUUUHHHHHHNNNNNNN!" More furiously did Beewv try to strike, and more innocently did Ynohtna dodge. "I'm gonna KILL YOU! I'm gonna… I'm gonna… I'm gonna… I'm gonna… I'm…" And then Beewv fell. Having exhausted all the strength in his tiny arms, it was time to sleep. Ynohtna picked the Naineetak up gently and rocked him in his hands.
"Awww… little guy tuckered himself out." He set Beewv over beside the wall and put a mini blanket over him. "It's okay, little Beewvie, go to sleep."
When Aenara flew at them, Yllas and Yevrah swung a foot forward to knock her back, then while still in midair, they threw their string-attached tops, wrapped around her legs, and swung overhead and against the stairs. The large bladed tops started bouncing down the stairs, Aenara panicking as she dashed down to get away. She jumped and allowed the tops to pass under her, but their blades had sliced two parallel lines into the stairs, Aen standing in the center. "WHOOOA!" She fell through the stairs, then the layer below, before hitting the bottom. She looked up filled with fright as the tops were just finishing rolling down. "AAAAIIIIIEE!"
Yllas and Yevrah shut their eyes from the bloody sight. Well, not that bloody. Her legs were chopped in clean half, but were actually sticks that her tiny, skimpy feet were tied to, and on closer inspection, she was even shorter than her Positive. "…WWWWAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
"What a baby." Yllas said gruffly.
"Not sweet."
Toxic hall
Giant girls piled everywhere on the floor, the -W7 members standing on a pile while catching breath. Yenmihc and Ebnog were at the other end, glaring at their former team. Asia flew, carrying Ahcniea, while Lirpa ran at them, but Yenmihc puffed a purple toxic cloud that forced the three to retreat the other way. "Cyanide and mustard gas, my favorite." Yenmihc said unenthusiastically. "Good luck not gettin' paralyzed in here."
"I'll show you MY favorite gas!" They all looked toward the opposite end of the hall; Ahcom was on Ardnusyrhc's head, both with confident smiles. "Something I like to call… Soft, Gentle Feminist!" The Nozama raised a large soda can with a blushing woman surrounded by little flowers and fauna.
"Oh, THAT'S prob'ly healthy." Lirpa remarked.
"What can THAT do?" Asia asked.
Ardnus cracked the can open and guzzled the soda down. She guzzled until the whole thing was down, and they were amazed someone of even her size could fit it all inside. Once she stopped, a furious rumbling came from her stomach, the giantess vibrating. "BEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLCH!" A powerful sonic wave, stronger than any wind, blew down the hall, sending the gas back, blowing Yenmihc away, and the piles after piles of Nozama with her, burying the poisonbender.
"Tsk-tsk." Ebnog's little paw came out on the top, holding a white flag before it fell.
"Whoa. Let me examine your intestinal system one day." Ahcniea said, her hair a mess.
"Let me use one of your giant baths so I can get all these germs off." Asia shuddered.
Vault room
The dragon had Nollid and Sipa locked under a terrifying gaze, Ynnad taking solace in his opponents' shivering. "Once you're finished, I'll take YOUR wand, too." he declared. "I'll earn a spot in Aluben's inner circle, and NO ONE'll be able to stop me!"
"Hm hm hm… You seem to get the idea… you can take any wand you want." Nollid seemed to resist his fears enough to smirk. "A wand possesses a soul… it chooses the soul it deems most worthy. And you should do better… than to claim the Devil's approval for your own."
"Oh, get a grip, a wand is a wand." Ynnad retorted. "No different than a sword, a gun, or a pencil, they're mindless tools for a wizard and any idiot could easily…" His left hand, clutching Sipa's wand while both kept the magic portal open, was shaking. "What? What's happening?"
"Losing your hold a little?" Nollid got to his feet. "Your dragon seems to be. It must be ready to go home."
"Ahh!" Ynnad was raising Sipa's wand to his neck, bearing no control to even let go. "What's it… doing??"
"The Devil's Wand chooses its holders, and its victims. You are… well, you'll find out."
"Aaaa-aaa-ack-ack-ack!" The tip of the wand touched Ynnad's neck, his body turning gray. The dragon groaned in agony before crawling backwards through the portal, which vanished.
The chubby traitor lay fallen and aching on the floor as Nollid took back Sipa's wand. "You can do whatever you want with another person's wand. Just don't turn it against them." With that, he returned to Sipa, who was still weakened on all fours. "You really don't deserve it though, but… here's your wand back.
"Sniff… huff…"
Nollid stared. Tears were dripping on the backs of Sipa's hands. The nightmare couldn't have affected her that bad; if the magic was failing on him, it can't have affected the wand's own master for long. "Sipa?"
"I…I don't want to do it anymore, Nollid." It was the first time Sipa's ever cried. So many tears had built up. "I don't want to go to Hell… sniff… I saw where I was gonna go… what my soul would end up like… I don't wanna do it anymore, Nollid. I'm afraid where I'm gonna end up… I'm afraid to find out… huff!"
Nollid raised her to her feet and let her lean on his shoulder. "Hey… it's gonna be all right. Let's all get out of here and back to Earth. Nerehc will want to see you."
"I-I don't think… I can face him again. I-I don't know… what will happen."
"He's going to beat Aluben and our world will be saved. Now let's go." He began running down the base, pulling Sipa by the arm. Her legs were only moving on instinct, but she wouldn't have the will to move herself. She wonders if a will even exists inside her…
Hangar
The Nimbi infiltrated the base and made short work of enemy Psiw or merkids, where Sector SUTARTOBMIN successfully brought Sector -FIN to their waists. Now Nimbi Leader Ibsej was one-on-one with Merkid Leader Amiak. "How fated, the leader of the merkids vs. the-"
"Yeah yeah yeah, I think people get it." Ibsej interrupted. "It's weird, though. I don't know your bending, and you don't know mine."
"I figured you'd be an airbender. Or at least Fear."
"Why would you think that?" Ibsej smirked.
"W-Well… what else would Nimbi use?"
Both leaders reached an impasse. Their operatives were watching, suspense building inside. "So on the count of -3, we both attack?"
"Okay. Negative one…" Amiak was nervous, but was almost positive of Ibsej's power.
"Negative two…" Ibsej wasn't at all nervous.
"Negative three!" Amiak blasted a stream of sapphire flames from both hands, which Ibsej blocked with two meteors her ships carried in. The meteors were good and crispy, so once Amiak finished, Ibsej raised them both above her and smashed.
"One of a million Nimbi who bend earth." Ibsej confirmed. "Never saw it coming."
In moments, every last Earth operative and ally returned. "Destructively Nefari—I mean, Daring New KIIIIDS, we have succeeded in capturing the base of the Destructively Nefarious KID GOOOOODS!" Sicnarf announced for all to hear.
"HOORAAAAAAYYYY!"
"Quick, we have to go back to Earth and save everyone else!" Lorac exclaimed.
"You're right! Everyone to the ships!" Sicnarf ordered as they all began to scramble.
"My darling Lorac plans for everything!" Nosam said, kept aloft by his love.
On route to Planet Earth
The entire fleet followed lightspeed and were nearing Earth's atmosphere. While everyone's respective pilots drove, the others were recovering from the chaotic invasion. "A little easier next time, Dam." Hcaz said, his back sore.
"Sorry."
Sector -V, Sicnarf, and Ininap were driving a prison vessel, taking all of their traitors back with them. Emorej was also along for the ride, downtrodden. "What's wrong, Emo?" Ininap asked.
"I don't know if I can go back to Ztar Haven after all this. Betraying my sister, a-and my parents… they're gonna kill me."
"Maybe you can live on Earth with us." she told him comfortingly. "Earth is a lovely place… it's been even better with Nerehc's leadership. Ay know you can have a lot of fun there."
"What if Nerehc doesn't beat her?"
"Oh, don't doubt Nerehc." Sicnarf informed. "If there's one thing about him… he doesn't let defeat last long."
The ships all entered the atmosphere to Eporue's Dead Lands, where Sipa claimed these chaotic events transpired. "I don't see anything." Ennael spoke up.
"Dad…" Ydnew spoke lowly. "Where did you-"
A storm of blue flames flew and caused them to shift about uncontrollably, many ships taking the fall and crashing in the barren fields. The members of -V, -W7, and -W helped each other stand. All operatives, however, fell ultimately helpless when the colossus of molded corpses appeared above them.
"I hate it when subjects defy the written word of an empire's rule. I hate it when subjects waste my precious time with petty, hopeless rebellions. I hate it, when I must exterminate so many vermin, because they just… don't… understand. To know why Negatives exist, our only purpose… is to breed hate with our others. You will all come… to realize that."
There was a tremendous flash of purple lightning, and out of purely nowhere, the colossal mass went flying all the way against a mountain. A burning purple flame alit the darkness. Its core made them feel both stiff and warm.
Nerehc's sword was shiny and longer, with the strength to slice whole continents in half. He glowed with the brightness of a purple sun, encased in a flame of justice. He looked around at the ships still skimming the air, then to his loyal operatives below. Those large brown eyes, the light of his flame reflecting off her tears… made her look so beautiful.
Everyone was startled when Nerehc zipped to the ground, giving Sipa a cool smile. He held a warm, inviting hand to her trembling form. "It makes you breathless to see me this way, huh?"
"…NO!" She whipped around, falling on all fours. "I don't want to… anymore… I don't want to… follow Ganon… I…I HATE HIIIIM!"
Nerehc knelt down and hugged her. One would think the flame surrounding him would destroy that purpose… but Sipa never felt so warm. "Then don't follow Ganon. Don't help him, anymore. Help Nerehc. Because Nerehc loves you. And your love for him… topped your demonic ideals. Right?"
His voice was so warm and soothing. It was nothing like the voice Sipa wanted to hear. For so long, she wanted to hear that voice of eternal darkness and damnation. That voice has been hers all along. Nerehc's voice was… way better. "SNIIIFF!" She sucked in a long glob of snot and turned around to hug him. Her tears soaked his jacket, then sizzled in the flame.
Nerehc let go and soared across the plain, leaving a flaming trail like a comet. His sword was held to his right as Ghirahim flew beside him. "Master… it's excruciating to work with you again."
"Yeah."
Within Nerehc's subconscious, Demise and Malladus lay defeated. Their severed halves gazed dreamily at the heavens. "Malladus…"
"Yeah?"
"I never hated… anyone more than you until now."
"….Me too."