Author note: Hi guys and gals, I'd appreciate it if you could leave a review and a comment. Yerrr.
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Inside Moxxi's bar, the familiar blend of music, chatter, and the clinking of glasses filled the air. But today, the atmosphere felt tense, as if the air itself was holding its breath. Athena sat at one of the far tables, her eyes scanning the room, constantly on edge. Despite the dim lighting and casual environment, she couldn't shake the unease. Janey Springs, sitting across from her, leaned back in her chair, swirling her drink absentmindedly.
"Bit quiet for a place like this, eh?" Janey remarked, trying to break the tension, though her tone was more nervous than light.
Athena nodded, her hand idly resting on the hilt of her sword. "Too quiet," she muttered. There was always a palpable energy on Pandora, a wildness that buzzed in the air, but today felt different. Athena couldn't put her finger on it, but something was wrong.
In the corner, Claptrap—or rather, the newly upgraded Pathfinder Claptrap—was dancing awkwardly on his new, more mobile legs, now equipped with enhanced sensors and advanced combat algorithms. His body was sleek, his old boxy shape replaced by a more humanoid frame, though his personality hadn't changed much. He waved over to Athena and Janey, oblivious to the tension.
"Hey, guys! Did you see my new moves? I'm like a combat-ready disco bot! Check this out!" He spun around in a ridiculous dance that seemed more glitch than grace.
Janey snorted. "Pathfinder or not, you're still a nutcase, Claptrap."
Claptrap stopped, seemingly unbothered by the comment. "Yeah, but I'm an *upgraded* nutcase now! Totally ready for action. Speaking of which... I heard Alexander's working on those big ol' star destroyers. We'll be flying in style soon! No more budget spacecraft!"
Athena didn't respond, her gaze still locked on the entrance of the bar. Something was eating at her.
Suddenly, the music cut off. A deep rumble echoed through the walls of the bar. It wasn't the usual sound of a nearby skirmish or a rowdy brawl—this was something much larger. The ground beneath them trembled.
Athena immediately stood up, her instincts sharp. Janey followed suit, her eyes wide with concern. Claptrap froze mid-dance, his new sensors twitching as they detected the shift in the atmosphere.
"What... what the hell is that?" Janey whispered, rushing to the window.
The sky outside the bar had changed. What was once a blue expanse, streaked with the typical Pandora clouds, was now flooded with airships. Massive warships filled the horizon, casting shadows over the wasteland. The unmistakable silhouette of Vladoff vessels dominated the skyline, their numbers seemingly endless.
Athena's stomach twisted. She had seen battle before—countless times—but nothing like this. Pandora was under siege. Again.
"Oh no," Claptrap muttered, his voice unusually quiet. "That's... that's not good."
Janey gripped the windowsill, her knuckles white. "They're everywhere..."
The ships seemed to darken the very atmosphere, blocking out the sunlight. The ground rumbled again, and this time, explosions followed. The Vladoff invasion force was attacking Pandora.
Athena turned to Claptrap and Janey, her voice commanding. "We need to get to Ironhold. Now."
But before they could move, the skies erupted in blinding light. Athena shielded her eyes, squinting as something enormous moved in the distance. A colossal energy burst shot up from the ground—originating from Ironhold itself—like a wave of sheer force, ripping through the clouds. It spread outwards in every direction, a power so immense that the Vladoff ships above began to shake, their hulls cracking and splintering under pressure.
Janey gasped. "Is that... Alexander?"
Athena didn't answer. She knew it had to be. She had heard rumours about Alexander's powers, about how he could harness forces beyond human comprehension, but she had never seen it for herself. Until now.
The energy wave intensified, and one by one, the Vladoff ships began to fall. It wasn't like any weapon she had ever seen. The ships were not just being destroyed—they were being wiped out. Vaporized. Athena watched in awe as the wave consumed everything in its path. Explosions ripped through the sky as ships were torn apart, their pieces disintegrating before they even hit the ground.
"Holy... crap," Claptrap whispered, his eyes wide. "He's really doing it."
Janey could only stare, slack-jawed, as the once-imposing fleet above them was reduced to nothing more than fading smoke trails. The entire invasion force, was obliterated in moments.
Athena felt a surge of something close to relief, but it was fleeting. There was no telling what the aftermath of such an event would bring. The energy still crackled in the air, and Athena could feel it in her bones. Whatever Alexander had done, it wasn't natural. It was something else entirely.
Just then, the door to the bar swung open, and a group of local Pandorans rushed in, their faces pale with fear. They had seen the destruction firsthand, and witnessed the sheer scale of Alexander's power.
"We're safe now, right?" one of them asked, his voice shaking. "He... he saved us?"
Athena clenched her jaw, not entirely sure how to answer. Alexander had saved them, yes, but at what cost? The power he wielded was terrifying, capable of leveling entire fleets in seconds. It was enough to make anyone question what would happen if that power was ever turned on them.
Janey turned to Athena, her voice quiet. "This is just the beginning, isn't it?"
Athena nodded grimly. "Yeah. It is."
The people of Pandora had been spared today, but the war was far from over. Vladoff wouldn't take this defeat lightly. They would regroup, re-strategize, and come back stronger. But the real question wasn't about Vladoff—it was about Alexander.
How far would he go? And what would happen when he crossed a line he couldn't come back from?
Claptrap, his usual bravado gone, approached Athena hesitantly. "So, uh... what's the plan, Captain? I mean, we've got ships falling out of the sky and... you know, a guy who can destroy them all with a wave of his hand. What's our next move?"
Athena glanced out the window once more, the remnants of the Vladoff fleet still burning in the distance. "We keep doing our job, Claptrap. And we prepare. Because this war is far from over."
Janey raised an eyebrow. "And Alexander?"
Athena's gaze darkened. "We follow orders. For now."
As they stood in the silence of the bar, watching the last few pieces of debris fall from the sky, one thing became clear to everyone in the room: Pandora had changed. And whether it was for better or worse... only time would tell.
---
In a sleek, neon-lit bar on Eden-1, Zane Flynt leaned back into the plush, luxurious cushions of his booth, his boots kicked up onto the table. He swirled his drink, something ridiculously expensive that he had swindled his way into buying without a dent in his pockets. The high-end bar was filled with a who's-who of corporate elites and mercenaries for hire, all trying to drown themselves in excess. The air smelled of liquor, cigar smoke, and false promises. Zane, of course, was used to these types of places, even thrived in them. But today, his attention wasn't on his surroundings—it was on the flashing newsfeed in the corner of the bar.
The chatter around him dulled as the holo screen showed a broadcast from Pandora. The footage was grainy, but the devastation was clear—massive ships, thousands of them, obliterated by a wave of sheer energy. Vladoff's once imposing fleet had been utterly destroyed. Eden-1's corporate overlords and mercenary patrons watched in stunned silence as the footage played out. This wasn't just some run-of-the-mill attack. This was something bigger.
Zane smirked, leaning forward and tapping the holo screen controls on his wrist to bring up the broadcast details. Ever since the kid had been under his radar he knew he was special. The kid who had forged his own empire, growing his power, his influence. Zane had always suspected there was more to him than just ambition.
"Heh," Zane muttered to himself, shaking his head. "Knew the kid had somethin' up his sleeve."
Taking a sip from his glass, Zane couldn't help but chuckle. The bar was starting to come alive again, people talking in hushed tones about what they'd just seen—about Pandora, about Alexander, about what it meant.
"He just wiped out an entire fleet with one swing," someone nearby whispered.
"That's no man. That's a damn force of nature," another muttered.
Zane couldn't resist rolling his eyes, his smirk deepening. Sure, Alexander was powerful, no doubt about that. But Zane knew the truth—there was always more going on behind the scenes. No one could get that far without playing the game just right. And Alexander? He was playing it better than anyone.
"Looks like the kid's finally showin' his hand," Zane said, raising his glass in a mock toast to the holoscreen. "Good on ya, lad."
He took a long drink, savoring the burn of the liquor. He could already hear the gears turning in the minds of every corporation, every mercenary watching that broadcast. They were probably thinking about their next move, their next opportunity to either cash in on this or stay the hell away from it. Zane? He was more interested in seeing how this all played out.
---
Zero watched the transmission end, his visor's display flickering as he contemplated the news of Alexander's devastating attack. He had crossed paths with many in his time, but the sheer scale of destruction, the effortless obliteration of an entire fleet, was... unparalleled.
He stood atop the roof of a factory, the night winds tugging at his cloak, and spoke softly to himself in the quiet hum of the planet.
"Power beyond sight,
A mystery unspoken,
Destruction rains down."
The eerie glow of his visor dimmed as he reflected on the moment. A secret this grand, the source of such unimaginable power—it was impossible that Alexander would let it slip into the wrong hands, or even the wrong rumours. But rumours were already spreading like wildfire.
The Imperium's propaganda machine was no doubt hard at work, capitalizing on the chaos, ensuring everyone knew the name Alexander—not as a mere leader but as a force to be reckoned with. To Zero, this wasn't an ordinary warlord flaunting his strength. There was something more, something lurking beneath that exterior.
"Hidden strength within,
Unknown to the universe,
What fuels such power?"
As he leapt from the roof, his form a shadow in the night, Zero's thoughts kept circling back to one key truth—Alexander's powers were not known to the wider galaxy. The Imperium might present it as divine or supernatural, but Zero's experience told him that such things were rarely as they appeared.
He knew there was something more—technology, perhaps, or a pact with forces unknown. But what?
The hum of his suit quieted as he landed silently on the ground, slipping through the shadows of the industrial complex. His next target lay ahead, a job like any other, but his mind couldn't shake the weight of what he had just witnessed. Even if he didn't know the source of Alexander's power, the galaxy was now on alert. Whether that power came from some ancient technology or something darker, it didn't matter. The result was the same—destruction on a scale never before seen.
"Vladoff falls like rain,
Before a storm unyielding,
Dark skies herald war."
He approached his target, his sword already drawn, the cold steel reflecting the artificial lights of the factory. Another contract, another step closer to completing his endless list. But as he moved forward, silently dispatching his enemies, his thoughts remained on Pandora—and on Alexander.
Zero knew he would eventually cross paths with the Imperium. A force that was powerful could not be ignored. And when that day came, he would find out the truth for himself.
"Secrets in the dark,
One man hides beneath the mask,
I will see it clear."
With that final thought, he disappeared into the shadows, a silent storm moving ever closer to the heart of the Imperium's growing power.
---
Angel sat in the corner of the dimly lit cargo ship, her fingers tracing patterns on the cold metal walls as the low hum of the engines filled the space. The ship was old, its interior worn and scuffed from countless journeys across the stars, but it was sturdy. Functional. It was also quiet, aside from the muffled voices of the crew exchanging idle chatter outside her cabin.
Her thoughts drifted to Alexander, her gaze distant as she stared out of the small porthole into the endless void. The stars streaked by, distant pinpricks of light against the blackness. Athens was still far off, but each passing minute brought her closer to the planet where her new mission awaited—the Siren she had sensed, trapped and calling out for help.
But Alexander... her mind couldn't stray far from him.
She shifted in her seat, tucking her legs under her and leaning back against the bulkhead. Her body still felt strange, foreign, after all the time spent in that coma. The sensation of her bare feet on the floor, the cold air on her skin, the hum of life itself—it was overwhelming. And yet, what overwhelmed her most was the weight of the promise she had made to him. The promise to be his tether, his control.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the hushed tones of the crew talking outside the door. They didn't know she could hear them, but her senses were sharper now, ever since she had awoken.
"Did you hear? It's all over the comms. Pandora got hit hard, but—"
"But Alexander… the guy wiped out the Vladoff fleet. Like it was nothing."
Angel's heart sank, and her hands stilled. She closed her eyes, listening carefully, the edges of their conversation sharpening in her mind.
"No way... I mean, I heard the Imperium was strong, but to take down *that* many ships? That's more than just tech. It's... I don't know what it is."
"Well, Vladoff's been retreating ever since. Pandora's still standing. Barely. But there's no telling how much damage was done before they got routed."
A knot formed in Angel's chest as she heard those words. Pandora had been attacked. And Alexander… she knew what he was capable of. His power wasn't just physical; it was a force beyond anything the galaxy had seen. She had felt it when he first touched her mind, a dark presence that resonated with unimaginable strength.
But it wasn't his strength that worried her—it was his anger.
Her heart ached, her hands balling into fists as she tried to imagine the scene. Vladoff soldiers raining down destruction, innocent lives lost, the screams of families torn apart. The fury she had seen in Alexander's eyes before… that cold, calculating rage that had turned entire battlefields into graves.
Had he shown mercy?
No, she thought, he wouldn't have. Mercy wasn't in his nature, not when something he cared for was threatened. And Pandora was his. His people. His empire.
Angel stood, pacing the small room, her feet lightly tapping on the floor. The promise she had made to him echoed in her mind. She had wanted to be the one to keep him grounded, to prevent him from losing himself completely to the darkness inside him. But could she?
She had seen his soul, the monster lurking beneath the surface of that calm exterior. And though she loved him, she couldn't ignore the fact that there were parts of him that frightened her—parts that, no matter how much influence she had, would always be out of her reach.
She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.
"I promised," she whispered to herself. "I promised I'd be the one to keep him from going too far."
But deep down, she already knew. No one could stop Alexander—not when he had set his mind on something, not when the fire of vengeance had been lit inside him.
A sharp knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts. She turned quickly, her heart racing, as the door slid open. One of the crew members, a tall man with a weathered face, peeked inside.
"Sorry to interrupt, miss," he said, his voice gruff but polite. "We just received word that Athens is about two days out. We'll be making a stop at a nearby station to refuel."
Angel nodded, forcing a small smile. "Thank you."
The door slid shut again, leaving her alone once more. The room seemed colder now, the weight of what she had just overheard sinking deeper into her bones. She crossed her arms, rubbing her skin as if that could dispel the chill.
Her mind wandered back to the last time she had seen Alexander—before she had left, before he had turned his attention back to Pandora's defense. His eyes had softened when she spoke, but there had been a storm behind them, a deep well of emotions he rarely let out. And now, after the attack…
She knew he was angry. Not because of the lives lost, but because Vladoff had dared to strike at what was his.
He wouldn't show mercy. Not this time.
Angel sank back down onto the floor, leaning against the wall and closing her eyes. She could almost feel his presence now, looming and powerful, a shadow that stretched across the galaxy. He was a force, and she loved him for it. But he was also a storm, unpredictable and dangerous. She feared for what he might become if left unchecked.
"I'll be your tether," she whispered to herself, her fingers brushing against the cold metal. "I'll keep you from falling too far…"
But even as she said the words, doubt gnawed at her. Was she strong enough to keep that promise? Or had she overestimated her influence, her ability to hold him back from the brink?
She sighed, staring out of the small window once more. Athens was still ahead, and her mission there was vital. The Siren… she had to help her. But her thoughts were torn between that and the chaos unfolding back on Pandora.
Alexander would survive, she knew that. He always did. But at what cost?
"I just hope… you haven't lost yourself," she whispered, her breath fogging the window. She rested her forehead against the glass, staring at the stars passing by, wondering how much further Alexander would fall before she could pull him back.