DreamWorld
Elsewhere- Tower-Top Floor
Valencia and Xander trade blows as they use quick footwork and try and get an angle or edge but everytime Xander makes a slash or swipe that he things will land Valencia uses the golden wings on that side to absorb and block the attack as she would the counter with a close enough slash or swipe of her own that would causes Xander to move quickly back or aside. The two pacing about before trading a series of blows ad Valencia swiped at him with the right wing and barely missed him as he had to lean back matrix style to avoid the blow as she then extended the chain sword and wrapped it around his leg, pulling him to the ground and towards her as she stabbed the wings down only for Xander to block with Durandel as he lips up and puts some distance between him and her as they seemed evenly matched.
Xander: The ethereal light...so you've met my mother...
Valencia: I have.
Xander seems to struggle as he doesn't know what to say as he just strikes and is easily blocked as Valencia watches his movements carefully before she attempts another whip attack but Xander was ready and allowed the chain sword to wrap around his sword as he used it to close the gap and deliver a punch to Valencia's face which causes her to fall back as Tobias gets up and grabs Xander from behind, Xander turning as he grabs Tobias's left wrists and breaks it, Tobias screaming out I'm agony as Xander headbutts Tobias in the face and makes Tobias go to his knees before he knees Tobias in the face just as Valencia slashes her chain sword across Xander's back, Xander yelling loudly as the wound bleeds as Valencia screams and used both wings to slam Xander in the chest and send him flying over the desk and against a nearby wall as Valencia goes to Tobias who was bleeding heavily from his face and nose as the bone in his wrist was sticking out.
Valencia: Oh my God...I need to heal you...
Tobias: No... no it'll just drain you you need to focus on...look out!
Valencia quickly wraps herself with the golden wings as Xander kicked the long table and watched as it crashed into her, the force sto powerful that it sent her slamming against the far wall and cracks the nearly impenetrable glass windows as she slumps to her back as Xander grabs Tobias by his collar and angrily tosses him like a rag doll down over by Ian as Tobias groans in pain as he watched Xander grab Durandel and spin as he gets ready to run Valencia through as she was sluggishly still trying to get back to her feet.
Xander: If that was your best shot I commend you but I've had about enough!
Ian:Xander!
Xander stops as he turns slowly to see Ian standing by the doors, all of the fallen Agents now gone.
Xander: You slippery old codger. You sure your body can handle that amount of power...
Ian: Most of it was to restore me...but I know I've absorbed enough to stop you.
Xander: Talk talk talk. That's all you can do isn't it?
Ian rushes Xander and Xander simply waits before he delivers a thrust that Ian catches with both hands to Xander's surprise as Ian yanks Durandel from Xander's grasp and hits his son with a palm strike that sends his son flailing wildly as he lands hard and shatters a support beam with the force of the attack as Ian quickly gets near his son and grabs Xander, hitting him with violent repeated blows that seem to cause immense damage as Xander coughs up blood and feels external organs and bones being badly injured with each violent strike as Winston claps and smiles as he watches his personal bodyguard beat the living shit out of his own son.
Valencia gets to her feet as she watches Ian grab Xander by his collar, before Ian slams his fist into his son's face repeatedly, Valencia watching as Xander's hand slowly begins to go lifeless as the fingers scrape against the floor.
Valencia: Watch out!
Ian went to deliver another strike but could feel himself slowing down as Ian eyes down and saw the white light surround his feet as Xander had touched the ground and was using his source codes powers to slow him down as Xander pulls himself off of his father's grasp as he grabs his waist and coughs up more blood as Valencia runs and attacks Xander but Xander quickly dodges her and delivers a spinning elbow that hits her in the chest, Valencia falling backwards as Xander grabs Durandel and screams as Ian fights through the temporary paralysis but in doing so he only turns and take the full brunt of the sword through his chest as Valencia looks horrified as Tobias with a closed eye watches as Ian's arms go rigid as code seems to seep from him and swirl along the sword as Xander began to stand up straighter as his wounds and bruises seemed to be disappearing.
Xander: Like father...like son.
Xander pulls the blade out and kicks his father back as he falls over with a large hole in his chest as Xander looks himself over and grins.
Xander: Me and my father developed the Awakened ability he possesses. But I too possessed it and with all that you absorbed I was able to fix my own damage...
Xander without looking blocks Valencia's attack, Xander swiping his blade against hers and the sheer force was enough to send Valencia tumbling back as she seemed horrified.
Xander: I also absorbed the influx of power as well. You should pay better attention.
Valencia throws her golden wings forward and Xander raises an eyebrow as he watches the wings begin to glow as suddenly two large beams of light fire forth and hit him in the chest, Xander hitting the far wall he screams as the light kept beaming into his chest until he went through the hall and sailing through to the other side as debris and smoke filled the immediate area as Valencia pants as she whips the chain sword out and stands ready as her instincts were sharp as she saw a deranged Xander charge through the hole at such a fast speed that she was barely able to block the attacks as Xander swipes and slaves a few times before he spins the blade and stabs at her forcing her to use her wings to block but in doing so he palmed the floor and directed the light at her, Valencia trying to move but feels the light catch her left leg as her left side become suddenly immobilized as Tobias raises a hand and screams as he watches Xander take on large two hand swipe at slash the left golden wings and her arm holding her blade from her body, Valencia falling over with shock and horror on her face as Xander backs away and turns as he could see his father still moving.
Xander: Though death here and now means little. Let this be a reminder that should you ever stand in my way again father...I will end you...
Ian: Sight for Might...
Xander stops cold as he seems struck by that saying as Valencia looks at Ian as her left arm and the golden wings dematerialized as her torso bleeds with green strands of code.
Ian: Say it...
Xander screams and slices his sword down, severing Ian's head from his body as Valencia closes her eyes and softly says
Valencia: Sight for a Might...
Xander shields his eyes as the sudden explosion of golden and white light behind him causes him to look away before the light slowly recends and he looks to see Valencia standing, her arm being slowly downloaded back to her frame as her body and face were slowly beginning to change and morph into a completely different person, Xander glaring angrily as he throws Durandel like a spear aimed at Valencia's heart but the golden hue works as a shield and reflects the blade off as it clings to the ground as Tobias watches as completely different woman with her eyes closed suddenly stands where Valencia. Tobias has no idea who she is, but we have seen her before, as the Paragon Allison stands in the prism of golden and white light as she looks at Xander's direction and gives the warmest smile.
Allison: Hello, my son.
Xander huffs as he comes over directly in front of her and touches the prism.
Xander: Afraid of what I can do?
Allison: I'm not here to fight, Xander. I'm here to bring you home.
Xander: I have no home.
Allison: You're wrong. I will show you such.
Allison reaches a hand out and touches Xander over his heart as Xander suddenly goes rigid and the two disappear behind blinding lights as Tobias closes his eyes from the sheer intensity. .
Elsewhere-Outside the Dream Share.
Xander opens his eyes as he sees the home he grew up in which was where Michael had taken Valencia to meet Allison. Allison comes over as she grabs her son by the arm as the two stand outside of the house.
Xander: It's exactly the same...
Allison: I played around with some different colors.
Xander: This cannot away me.
Allison: You're a miracle, Xander. You are not meant to be a conqueror.
Xander: I am meant to be the usherer of the new way. Where organic and digital life will be one and no one will be different...
Allison: Trading one existence for another won't change people and what's in their hearts. They can only do that.
Xander: Then I'll create life...and they will know their lord and savior exists. They will have no need to hate one another...
Allison: Except for the people who weren't "created" by you...
Xander: Those people will learn to understand me and if they don't and cannot then they will see the error of their eats.
Allison: Xander...
Allison turns and touches her son's face as he doesn't make eye contact with her as her piercing blue eyes were filled with love but worry.
Allison: What's made you so sure this is the only way forward?
Xander: Because I've seen the world you wanted me sheltered from. I've seen the "real-world'' and it's atrocities. I've seen the way this corporation treats and runs the people they represent and control. I wish to unburden the minds who cannot do so themselves.
Allison: You're not a villain, Xander. You're more than that. You have to know this...this misguided crusade will only lead you to becoming the monster you swear You're not...
Xander: If you wanted me home so badly...why didn't you ever come and find me? Where were you when I needed you most! Where were you when my own father, your husband turned on me...tried to have me destroyed...erased from the only existence I have because they feared me! Where were you then!
Allison looks away.
Allison: I was here...cut off from everything...from you...from Ian...from it all. I failed because I thought I had imprinted enough on you to stray you from this path...I see I was wrong. But that doesn't mean I'm going to fight you. Or say that you're a monster. You're my son. A construct born from me and your father's belief that a miracle can happen when the love and faith is there. I wasn't wrong about that. You are the miracle, the gift. You are the savior. Not the destroyer..
Xander...
Xander is struggling as he was fighting back tears as he seems torn as Allison pulls his face to look at her.
Allison: Stop this... come home. Please.
Xander watched as his mother wiped the tear from his eye as it fell, Xander looking at the house before he closed his eyes.
Xander: I have...I can't...I've come too far...
Allison closes her eyes.
Xander: I will be what I was meant to be...
The light eclipses around them.
Elsewhere-Tower-Top Floor
Xander opens his eyes as he moves away from Valencia as his mother's essence is gone Xander nodding as he turns and begins towards Winston as the concubines scream and flees as Xander steps over the corpse of his father.
Xander: I will be the God of the new world...
Xander places his hand against the shield and watches as the white light begins to emit a code as he begins to drain the shield of its power as Winston watches stoically, Valencia going to Tobias as Tobias reaches for her as she touches him.
Valencia: Go...she has word for you...
The same golden hue that has happened before suddenly envelops Tobias as Tobias looks about as he was in a blank space, his body healed as he blinks both eyes and looks about as he spots Allison who was watching him.
Allison: My son was not wrong about you. You are special. Though I believe others will need to be the ones to tell you why.
Tobias: Why am I here?
Allison: You're all that's left. My words cannot reach him. Not yet anyways. Violence begets violence. It solves nothing. But you stand as the only one who can oppose him.
Allison comes to him and extends her hand.
Allison: Our family's power. I bestow it upon you.
Tobias: That's possible.
Allison: You possess a power you have yet to bring forth. But this is called Siphon. You will be able to do exactly as Xander and Ian have done. It may not be enough. But it will give you a chance. Now hurry...he's almost breached the shield...
Tobias nods and shakes Allison's hand as he suddenly is blinded by the golden light.
Xander stops as he senses something, Winston looking behind him as Xander slowly turns as he sees Tobias, fully healed and surrounded by the golden hue that has been around Valencia as she was on her backside, worn out and still wounded as Tobias sneers and cracks his knuckles as he kicks Durandel over by Xander's feet.
Tobias: It's just me and you, now.
Xander turns and grins as he walks over and kicks Durandel up and into his hands.
Xander: So you think now you can stop me?
Tobias throws his arms out and creates two large Lancers. Xander raises an eyebrow as Tobias spins them and gets into a stance.
Tobias: Only one way to find out.
Xander grins as he raises his sword and the two men flare each other down before charging.
End of chapter.