Chương 73: Episode 18: Dismantled

The sky hung in a dull gray over the frozen tundra. A city of short, icy mountains and jagged snow hills stretched in every direction, and beneath our feet sat solid ice over dark water. To our right, a massive body of water churned violently, waves crashing against the ice. Jagged shards poked up across the terrain, and the wind cut straight through us while snow spiraled down in sheets. It was biting cold, the kind that sank into your bones. Even T-Ex was feeling it.

I stood firm on the slick ground, shoes locked in place. Eddy perched on my back, arms wrapped tight around my neck to keep warm, while T-Ex lumbered behind us, his breath fogging the air. Stellar stood at my side, completely unbothered by the storm. The wind tore through my battle-worn green hoodie, flapping it violently against my chest. My backpack hung heavy on my shoulders with gear, supplies, and my suit.

Shrugging off the hoodie despite the cold, I dropped the bag and unzipped it, my fingers brushing against the stone helmet shaped like an ankylosaurus head. Stone armor began to cover my whole body. Spikes jutted from my forearms, tail-club, and shoulders. My body felt heavier, the armor weighed more, but I was able to handle it. I pulled it on, then went to work gearing up. Seismic Rings locked around my wrists with a solid click, but the armor fought me the whole way.

I slipped, wobbled, and completely wiped out onto the hard ice. Eddy launched off my back just in time, laughing, while T-Ex let out a rumbling growl that sounded way too close to a chuckle. Even Stellar hid a quiet smile.

"…Yeah. Real funny," I muttered, rolling onto my side to force the armor into place. It felt like wrestling something alive, but it finally clicked together. I stood, adjusted the helmet, and tightened the rings. This time, I didn't slip. Eddy smirked.

"Man, some heroes just throw on a shirt with a letter and call it a day."

"Shut up," I said, though my voice was steady. Stellar stepped closer, resting a hand on my shoulder.

"You ready now? This is going to be tough." My grip tightened.

"…Yeah." In her other hand, the cyan shard pulsed with light, the same one we'd pulled from the cave, and the one she'd used when she called me Terra Krai. I glanced at her.

"That name earlier. You called me TK." Her smile flickered for a second.

"…Focus on the shard." I didn't push it. T-Ex stomped forward and sniffed the crystal with wide eyes before immediately trying to bite it. I grabbed his snout without looking.

"No." He huffed and sat back. Eddy, meanwhile, had already wandered over and hugged Stellar's leg.

"Not gonna lie," he muttered, "Celestianites kinda—" Stellar laughed and gently brushed him off. I stepped forward and took the shard. The moment it touched my hands, cyan light bled between my fingers.

"…What do I say?" I asked.

"Anything," Stellar replied.

"As long as you're holding it, they'll obey your command."

"…They don't think?"

"No," she said softly.

"They follow." I took a breath, held the shard tight, and yelled: "KICK ASS." The ice beneath us cracked violently, fractures racing outward in every direction as the ground split open. Earth Knights clawed their way up from below—dozens of massive, jagged figures carved from stone and rock, their eyes glowing green. Stone axes, swords, hammers, and muskets formed in their hands. I watched them rise, checking their positions.

"…Formation's wrong." Stellar glanced at me.

"Frontline's too mixed," I said, keeping my eyes on the line.

"Ranged units are exposed. They'll get wiped first." Eddy blinked.

"Uh… since when do you—""They don't think," I said.

"So I have to." Then a flash hit me—not physical, but clear: Fire. Screams. Zeriath burning. Nomanites falling, and the green light of the Lost Gem dimming in the distance. I caught my breath as the memory passed, leaving me staring at the army in front of us.

"…Olsen?" Eddy asked. I didn't answer right away. I thought of Dominator, the way he moved, the way he controlled everything. If I faced him again, would I be ready?

"…Yeah," I said quietly, tightening my grip. Stellar turned and pointed toward the ocean. The water split as something massive rose from the surf. Six jagged legs slammed onto the ice as crystal wings unfolded with a sharp crack. Its body was built from frozen armor, its jaw lined with razor edges under the gray sky. Eddy scrambled back onto my shoulders.

"OKAY, WHAT KIND OF TRAINING IS THIS?!" T-Ex growled low beside me while Stellar crossed her arms with a faint smirk.

"Think you and your army can handle it?" I jammed the shard into the ice, reached back, and pulled my axe free. The sound rang sharp in the cold air. I dropped into my stance, my voice cold and steady.

"…Yeah. I can."

I shut my eyes, took a breath, and let it out slow. When I opened them, everything felt dialed in.

"Does this thing even have a name?" I asked, stepping forward. The ice creature's antennae twitched, its massive frame shifting as it began to crawl toward me. Each step cracked the frozen ground, sending vibrations through my boots. Eddy immediately bailed off my back and scrambled behind Stellar, grabbing onto her like a shield.

"PLEASE PROTECT ME, OH QUEEN!" T-Ex didn't budge. He planted his feet and let out a roar that echoed straight across the tundra.

"His name is Craig the Frozen Bug," Stellar said, arms crossed and completely unbothered.

"He's been causing trouble here for years." I slammed my boot into the ice, a loud crack echoing as a web of fractures spread outward. I dropped into my stance, axe ready. Behind me, the Earth Knights shifted as one, waiting for the call. I stepped forward again.

"Formation." The army moved instantly. Heavy frontline units shifted to the front with their shields up, midline fighters adjusted behind them with blades drawn, and the ranged units fell back to cover the angles. Cleaner and way smarter. Craig roared and lunged, all six legs tearing across the ice as he closed the distance. I stepped into the charge, launching myself upward into the cold air. One of its legs shot toward my chest, but I twisted midair to deflect it with my axe, blue energy flaring on impact.

I landed in a slide, boots carving through the ice to stay upright.

"NOW!" I yelled. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The Earth Knights surged forward. Frontline units slammed into Craig's legs to absorb the hits while midline fighters struck the joints. Ranged units fired from behind, keeping up the pressure. Craig shrieked and thrashed, bringing a leg down with a loud blast that shattered two knights into rubble, but the line adjusted and kept pressing. Then I noticed the tall knight.

He moved before I even had a chance to think it, leaping clean onto Craig's back. His armor was sharper, his movements heavier and more precise. He drove his blade down, blue blood steaming against the ice. Without missing a beat, he pulled the sword free, spun, and severed an antenna in one strike before flipping off the monster's back to land cleanly. No wasted movement.

"Concray…" I muttered under my breath. The battle turned immediately. Craig stumbled as the formation closed in, pinning him down. A green vortex of Earth energy spiraled up as the tall knight stepped forward and took off Craig's head with a single stroke. The massive head hit the ice with a final thud. The knight drove his sword down once more to be sure, then stepped back into line. I moved fast, stepping past the broken stone bodies to grab the shard. The cyan glow pulsed faintly in my hand.

"It is over," I said. The army vanished, leaving the field empty. I turned to Stellar.

"What just happened?" Eddy peeked out from behind her, staring at the corpse.

"I thought I was DONE for. Yeah, nah, I'm never doubting you again." T-Ex immediately tried to bite the shard, but I shoved his snout away without looking.

"No." He huffed and backed off. I looked back at Stellar.

"That tall knight. That was him. Concray." She gave a small smile.

"Yeah. Remember what I told you? He was a sensei. Even now, that doesn't go away."

"They're not supposed to think," I said.

"They don't," she replied.

"But you do." Eddy hopped up onto T-Ex's head, pointing at me.

"Alright, cool, training arc complete, right? Let's go find the Lost Gem before something else named Craig shows up!"

"Not yet," Stellar cut in firmly. She rose into the air, her wings spreading wide as golden light caught against the gray sky.

"TK, it's your time to lead. Train them. Refine them. It will refine you." I stiffened slightly at the name.

"I need to leave," she added, ascending higher.

"There's something I must do." She vanished in a flash of light. Silence dropped over the tundra, leaving just the wind cutting through the ice.

"Guess we're on our own," I said. Eddy groaned.

"Fantastic. Love that for us." T-Ex rumbled low beside me while I looked down at the shard in my hand, then back out over the frozen wasteland. I tightened my grip, my stance settling.

"Guess this is what being a warrior feels like."

The Lunaranite and Gammanite flew between Foreshade's cybernetic towers. They dove toward the bridge and Harbinger shot into the air, flipping back in his descent before striking the ground in a landing pose. The bridge rattled. Airies landed normally, his feet lightly hitting the pavement. They walked toward the portcullis as guards approached. One guard pointed a spear at Airies out of suspicion, but Harbinger, as second in command, ordered him down.

The portcullis opened and the two stepped through the entrance onto a royal carpet, once red, now dyed violet. Airies took a moment to look around the castle in awe. The red banners and torch pillars were gone, replaced by purple banners featuring the Lunaranite insignia along both walls. Sitting on a throne more massive than Dreadixz's was King Dominator. His arms rested on the wide armrests, eyes locked on Airies. Harbinger walked forward and kneeled.

"I've brought someone, King Dominator. He'll be of great use to our faction." Dominator gave Airies a strange look, nodding in approval after scanning him.

"He'll do, Harbinger. Once again, excellent work. You never fail me." The portcullis rattled open as Zod entered, soaked and caked in mud. He shook his head, spat onto the floor, and marched toward Dominator with squelching boots.

"My liege, finding the traitor was… unsuccessful."

"What do you mean, unsuccessful?" Dominator asked, his tone rising.

"I've searched all of Zeriath, Your Highness," he explained.

"The traitor has left the planet." The king clasped his hands and let out a heavy sigh of disappointment. He rose from his throne, pointing back toward the gate.

"Excuse yourself, Zod. You'll be needed later. One failure doesn't determine another." Zod nodded and walked out, his stomach heavy. Dominator sat back down and turned to Airies.

"Where do you derive from?"

"An alternate universe, my lord," Airies said, quickly dropping to one knee.

"I've been studying Avangardians in secret. I had no idea the Lunaranites knew of my presence."

"We've always known," Dominator said.

"Go find a room upstairs. And Harbinger, I require engineers to set up the lab." Harbinger nodded.

"On it, sir."

The underground bunker was calm, eerily calm for once. Ella sat on a cushion against the far wall, glasses perched perfectly, her tail curled neatly at her side. She flipped through one of Bite's comic books, the warm lantern glow spilling over the pages. Prince was knocked out cold, leaning against the wall with his head tipped back. His snores were loud and uneven, and every so often a tiny spark of lightning popped from his nostrils.

Archie sat cross-legged on the floor in the middle of the room, methodically lighting candles, watching the wax drip like it was some meditative art form. Nobody knew why he was doing it. Nobody dared to ask. Bite was beside Ella, practically vibrating with joy. Every time she turned a page, her little mechanical wings twitched, and her eyes lit up like she'd just found the last cookie in the jar.

"Okay okay okay, Ella, look, LOOK!" Bite squealed, bouncing a little where she sat.

"This part is SO good, you have no idea!" Ella smiled despite herself.

"You're really into this, huh?"

"It's a classic!" Bite chirped.

"A total masterpiece! Wait, wait, look at this page!!" She flipped the next panel. A towering, muscle bound hero in a green suit and white cape scooped a girl out of midair, eyes fierce, jawline perfect. Bite froze. Her eyes turned into giant pink hearts.

"…oh my gosh." Then she collapsed flat on her back, clutching her chest like she'd just been shot by romance itself.

"He's just so DREAMY, Ella, look at him go!!" Ella snorted, tail flicking in amusement.

"You really like strong guys, huh?" Bite's voice went all sing-songy and dreamy.

"Beeep… beeeep~…" THUD. The bunker shivered. Dust sprinkled from the ceiling. Above ground, Demaurion's voice rang out like a battle horn.

"I'LL GET YOUR ASS, SQUIRREL! YOU THINK YOU CAN MOCK ME?! RUN WHILE YOU CAN!" Another THUD, this one rattling the floor so hard that Bite jolted upright, right into the wall with a clang.

"OW! Rude!" she yelped, rubbing her head. Ella's ears flattened.

"Demaurion, what the hell are you…" THOOM! The whole bunker jolted violently. Prince shot awake, a tiny arc of lightning sparking off his nose.

"Woah, what the hell's happening?!" Archie scrambled to blow out his candles, muttering something about "fire safety" under his breath. Ella groaned, set the comic down, and sprang upward in a feline blur, claws extended mid-air, gripping the bunker's ledge before she pulled herself up into daylight. The sight hit her instantly. Demaurion was in the middle of the field, panting, trident gripped tight, charging after a squirrel.

The little thing darted left, then right, chirping mockingly every time Demaurion swung and missed. Ella crossed her arms.

"Really?" Just as he reared back for a killing stab, Ella's fingers flexed. Sand shot from her palm like a whip, wrapping around the trident and yanking it skyward. The weapon spun high into the air before plummeting straight down. THUNK. It embedded into the ground inches from Demaurion's foot. He froze. His eyes darted to the weapon, then to Ella, then back to the weapon, like he couldn't process the betrayal. Ella smirked.

"Don't. Touch. Animals." The squirrel, in perfect comedic timing, hopped onto a nearby rock, stuck its tongue out, and vanished into the forest. Demaurion's head steamed with rage, but he clenched his jaw and forced it down. He yanked the trident free. Prince zipped to the top of a tree in a flash of lightning.

"WOO! Shouldn't we be moving? Remember the mission!" Bite boosted out of the bunker with a hiss of jet exhaust, giggling the whole way up. Archie climbed out right behind her, flames sparking in his hair.

"Yeah," Archie said, "we need to find Don. Can't stay here forever." Then his eyes narrowed.

"Uh… Ella? You've got something on your face." She touched her cheek. A tiny glowing green dot pulsed under her fingers, then slid away, almost alive.

"Ooh, pretty," Bite said, tilting her head, "wait, that's not normal, is it?" Prince dropped from the tree, landing beside her.

"Where'd that come from?" Demaurion walked over slowly, trident lowered but ready. His gaze tracked the green light's movements, suspicion growing like a shadow behind his eyes. Then instinct slammed into him. He spun toward the treeline. A red dot blinked against his jacket. His grip tightened.

"I just realized. This place is occupied…" Weapons came out fast. Archie's fists ignited. Prince's fists crackled with magnetic lightning. Ella's claws glinted in the sun. Bite's arms shifted into massive plasma cannons, her playful grin snapping into something sharper. Then more red dots appeared. All around them. Blinking. Never where Ella could see them. The beeping started, low at first, then faster, closer. Archie swallowed.

"Uh… that's not you, right, Bite?"

"Nuh-uh," Bite said, voice suddenly small.

"Not me. I promise. I promise!" Prince's eyes narrowed.

"Did I just hear a click?" BOOOOOOOM!!! The ground erupted. It wasn't just a blast, it was a force. It ripped through the jungle like a screaming wind, snapping trees like twigs, scattering wildlife in every direction. The shockwave tossed the kids skyward like ragdolls. Ella's ears rang, her vision blurred. Dirt, sky, dirt, sky. Demaurion's voice cut through the chaos.

"WHAT THE FUCK?! WHO DID THIS?! SHOW YOURSELF…" CRACK. A blur smashed into him mid-air, slamming him into the ground with such force blood sprayed like crimson dust. Ella barely had time to scream before the same blur tore through her, pain flashing white as she hit the dirt, breath gone, blood warm on her cheek. Prince and Archie went down next, struck so fast they didn't even see the hit coming. Bite's systems kicked into overdrive, fear and rage fighting for control.

She rocketed above the treeline, scanning desperately, her round eyes wide and glassy.

"H-hey! Show yourself, you big jerk!" she shouted, voice cracking. Her robotic eyes locked onto the movement. She screamed and fired a barrage. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. The blasts lit up the smoke like fireworks, each one shaking the ground. But when she stopped, the figure still stood. The dust cleared slowly, revealing him. One lone figure in the center of the crater.

His outline flickered at the edges, glitching in and out like a broken signal, fragments of him blinking out of existence for a split second before snapping back into place. Without wasting a second, she dashed into the sky, disappearing in the clouds. He didn't look at the destruction. He didn't look at the blood.

"You can come out now…" His voice glitched mid sentence, doubling for a moment like two versions of him speaking a fraction of a second apart. From the treeline, CyberBots emerged. Their servos whirred. Red blasters glowed in the fading light. Some were damaged from the explosion, sparks spilling from their frames, but their formation was precise. The figure crossed his arms. For a moment his whole body flickered like a dying screen, then stabilized.

"Let's move," said Vironos.