Alarms were going off across many platforms in the Situations Room within Tower City. Relays were picking up signals from Shiyan Satellites and Sensor showed the image. A large dent on the planets surface had appeared and massive waves of energy passed over it, then, nothing.
All that was left to even mark the event was a large dragon shaped hole. A farmland region used for grade two herbs had been wiped out by the impact and the teleportation array had been pushed down into the soil, buried flat as a result.
Readings came out on the Display, it gave several results as to a possible cause.
A Tech jumped out of his seat and picked up the phone to call his superiors. In a matter of minutes, Ying Wu had appeared in the Situations Room.
"Sir. Reporting. Sensors have indicated that there is a possibility that Custodians have returned, there were also some anomalous readings. It seems the Empress may have been there as well. There are traces of the Dragon King but they don't make any sense, the readings show that the large hole, its energy patterns match the Dragon King." The Tech put his hands down onto the keyboard and brought up several images.
"Array Steele 019882, we shouldn't have anyone out there right?" Ying Wu pulled a chair out of his way and typed on another keyboard, a list of ongoing classified projects came onto the screen. "Avert your eyes." Prince Wu entered a code for the release of information, he ran his finger through the display and dragged to sift through them. He stopped on the array steeles location data.
'Damn.' "Inform the Demon King, then the Empire. Have the Stealth Corp and a group of Truthers meet me on site." While sifting through the information, Prince Wu saw a notification that was written by the Kinky Farmer. Kink had noted that among the ruins in the area, many writings that he had found depicted the area as an ancient battlefield, a graveyard and resting place of the Guardians.
"Alert, this is a Class 7 Warning." It spread throughout the relay station networks like wildfire. A Class 7 Warning meant that widespread damage was likely unavoidable and already incoming. The protocol in place by the Elders of the Empire were fairly simple, Hide, preferably in a pocket dimension. The Tech continued to broadcast and send out notifications.
"Recall all active units in proximity to zone 019882. I repeat, Recall ALL active units in proximity to Zone 019882." Another push notification came up on his screen. "Sir. Agent Hiano's group is back from duty and reporting in, would you like her unit attached as well?"
"Yes, I will take them along with me personally." Prince Wu snapped his fingers and vanished.
֍ꟷꟷꟷꟷ֍
In the White Space on the road to the Temple, Noyuki had been flowing across a vapor trail in a bubble. She was unable to do a thing to resist but the scenery was nice, too bright but nice nonetheless. When the people in white finally released her from the bubble, she was also silenced. No matter how hard she struggled, unless they commanded it specifically, she was unable to utter even a single syllable.
A few strange and very foreign looking species of humanoids came over, they passed their hands over her head and body, scanning it repeatedly. Noyuki could do nothing but watch as they probed her body over and over.
"Its not him." Their leader, a lizard folk species of some sort, wore a green belt and nothing else. he turned to the several hundred people in the building that looked down from the railings above. "Its a Copyu."
Mumbling spread throughout the Pagoda temple.
Noyuki wanted to speak but all she could do was crudely gesture.
"Evinate, you've decided to join us?.." They argued for a bit, it got on everyone's nerves.
"Beazel, it seems that one of the Creatures you fear wishes to speak." A different voice came from the main doorway and Evinate burst out with laughter. "You forget that when you speak and act in his house, I too will know."
"You swore to remain out of this." Beazel swung his arm across the throne like he was being disrespected.
"I never agreed to such things, besides, I would have heard you with my ears plugged. You yell like a troll stepping on a nail." Denoia marched forward, she threw a dead herb to the floor. "There are thousands of these in the field where the Ste'Dugen sleeps. I think there is something strange happening in the Main World. These Herbs should have never been able to grow so neatly, it was like they had been planted for decades but, they couldn't be older than a few years."
"The Main World has been a lost cause and wilderness for tens of thousands of years, what could have possibly changed? And don't tell me that a single outlier like the Ice Dragon is responsible for such a change, he never showed an interest in our matters." Beazel had his questions. He crossed his arms and waited for an answer, after a moment, he raised his foot and started tapping in impatience.
Evinate waved his hand, the entire building was silenced. "Forgive my impulsive action, but you leave me little choice. As Denoia said, this creature you show so much fear towards wishes to speak." Pointing to Noyuki, he released her from the confines of the silencing.
Noyuki flexed her jaw like she had been having it slammed shut the whole time. "Ah.. what kind of fucking assholes are you people?! Every time we turn around, one of you pricks thinks that you fucking own us.. What is goddamn wrong with you?!" Noyuki heaved up and down, she was seething and wanted to vent. "I am ZAO NOYUKI! You say I'm a Copyu, well. You're right. I am.. err, was. So what?!"
Kuzunoha came over to her side with Vira and Mursayade. "We are not your enemy but you treat us like we are. You don't know us, I can see how that can be an issue but do you really have to make us into the enemy?"
Vira cracked her knuckles, "Because if you want an enemy, I can arrange it." She started to roll up her sleeves and channel.
Nothing happened. 'Dammit' Disappointment spread across all of their faces but Kuzunoha tapped on Vira's shoulder.
"Let me." Kuzunoha cleared her throat and spoke to the room. "You people are dumb. This place, this hide out. You've what? Come down to inspect our arrival but do the same thing we were just trying to escape from? You lay claim to our bodies? How despicable is that? You said the Ste'Dugen is outside, then complained that it's covered in herbs.. That is not the Ste'dugen, that is my friend, he is Dragon King Vector and a close personal friend of that 'Creator' you're so intent on finding at anyone's expense.""
Evinate waved his hand and restored everyone's voice.
More mumbling crowded the space above.
"She lies." Instantly some of the voices spoke together, they condemned her in every way. "Kill the Primate for her blasphemy."
"She speaks the truth," Evinate got everyone's' attention and tried to steer the conversation in the right direction. "Its taking a lot of my concentration to keep the Ice Dragon's power confined. However, within him, three powers are struggling for control. I sense the Storm Crow's Core, the Ste'Dugen Core and another." Evinate stunned the room with his words. "Also." He pulled out the Crusher blade. "Deny my words further, lets see how ridiculous you sound." Stabbing it into the stonework in front of him, the others fell silent. Not even a rubbing of fabrics could be heard, all was still.
"Do you all know what this means?" Evinate pointed to the upper levels. "The time draws closer." When he was finished speaking he winced.
"What is wrong?" Beazel seemed worried, Evinate was the consummate owner of the realm, anything that affected him would affect the realm itself.
"It just takes a lot to stall the raging power within the Ice Dragon." He waved and a chair materialized from nothing, Evinate took a deep breath.
"If the Copyu is bonded to the Creator, then the Creator is present.. Why is he not here?" Beazel asked, he assumed that it would end the theatrics.
Kuzunoha grabbed the crusher and pulled it from the stonework. "Because he's been taken." She pointed the sword tip into the air and waved it to all those above her. "We were working to establish an alliance to mount a rescue but were betrayed by those in the Ultinian Heavens."
"Heavens.. what a load of shit, those Custodians couldn't change how the world works so they created their own and enslaved trillions. That's not a heaven, its a hell." Denoia spoke up and started to interrupt Kuzunoha.
Slow clapping in a quiet room, Mursayade got the attention of the room. "Oh, We've noticed." She had a distasteful look on her face like she wanted to slap each and every one of them. "I don't understand everything that's going on but.. it seems like you and your friends here are all cowards, waiting for someone else to do the hard work. We were doing the hard work and yet you still treat us as trash. If we're the trash, what does that make you?"
"We were unable to win last time we fought, most of our kind perished in a great many battles. We've only survived because we were hidden.." 'Unngh' Evinate hunched over in pain.
"What's going on? Are you alright?" Beazel didn't much care for Evinate's attitude or thoughts but he still cared about his well being, they had known each other for thousands upon thousands of years.
Evinate's eyes turned white while he rocked back and forth in pain. "More have come. Soldiers. They attack the barrier to our sanctuary."
Beazel nodded to several figures who then disappeared. "Custodians?" he asked.
"No, something different." 'Unngh' Cringing again, Evinate started to hold his head. He waved his hand and everyone in the building appeared next to Vector. Evinate passed out and ripples spread out across an invisible wall in the distance.
"Is it the Dragon?" Nenoize, one of the better healers among them placed his hand on Vector's chest. He probed it quickly, "No.. its not the Dragon but he's not doing well. I will have to attend him if we desire him to live."
"To live?" Mursayade placed her hand on Vector's chest to probe it and confirm his words. "You, what did you mean?"
"My name is Nenoize, If you want to know, just watch. There are too many answers." Nenoize began to chant and wave his hands. A large spell circle came down from above, it was white with a lot of strange red runic symbols spread across it. "This is Omniheal, its the best I've got. Hopefully it will converge his energies. The problem is that he has three powers fighting for control of the body. I don't know how this happened, however, it will kill him after a short time if one does not prevail over the others."
"I choose Vector." Mursayade seemed worried, she shouted quickly and returned to probing while Nenoize worked.
"If only it were that simple. He will have to achieve this on his own. I can only force the powers together not control the outcome." Nenoize continued his chanting after speaking, there was little room for error and he had to be precise.
Mursayade fell silent, watched eagerly and studied the healing effects. 'Come on baby.. You're the Goddamn Dragon King, you can fight it.. fight it baby.'
Evinate had passed out, Denoia looked to everyone present. "Those soldiers have come, get ready for battle."
A pounding could be heard against the membrane between dimensions. It shook and ripples spread out repeatedly. As time passed the pounding grew more intense and constant. The membrane was being pushed back. Tiny tears appeared in the membrane and slowly multi-colored light began to transmit between them.
"Prepare yourselves, they come... now." Denoia posted a shield between the residents and the portal.
Fire spilled through the void, it burned at the surroundings and dozens of figures rushed through the hole.