Back on Ditivas, the battlefield was in chaos. The members of the Deep State, exhausted but determined, had managed to subdue Yugasura. The towering entity was now bound in the Holds of Yama, glowing chains of ancient power that shimmered with the force of multiple dimensions. The Deep State operatives—alternate versions of Aayam, Kylan, and others—stood in a circle around him, their combined strength keeping the dark entity restrained.
Sheriff Aayam materialized amidst the group, taking his place as the tenth member. He raised his hand, pointing upward, mirroring the others. The real Aayam, the leader of the ritual, looked around at his counterparts and declared, "Heaven's Judgment."
The others echoed in unison, their voices resonating with cosmic authority. Above Yugasura, a cross-shaped portal tore through the sky, emitting an eerie, divine light. The portal's pull intensified, dragging Yugasura toward it despite his violent thrashing.
"No! This isn't the end!" Yugasura roared, his voice shaking the very fabric of Ditivas. He reached out, clawing at the air, desperate to escape. One of the alternate Kylans, a male version wielding a Black-Hole Bazooka, inadvertently lost grip of his weapon as Yugasura's pull intensified. The weapon was sucked into the portal along with the entity.
Yugasura let out a final, piercing scream as the portal sealed itself, leaving behind a deafening silence. The fight was over.
The Deep State members collapsed to their knees, panting and drained. Even Sheriff Aayam, typically stoic, showed signs of fatigue.
"That was close," one of the alternate Aayams muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.
Real Aayam looked at his counterparts. "We did it. For now, at least. But we'll need to keep an eye on the fallout."
Sheriff Aayam nodded. "He's gone, but his influence isn't. Let's finish up here and get back to HQ. We've got work to do."
As the group slowly gathered themselves, the weight of their victory—and the cost it had taken—settled heavily over them. The battle against Yugasura might have ended, but the echoes of his chaos were far from silenced.
As the massive Deep State ship prepared for departure, the victorious yet weary members of the Deep State boarded one by one, their mission on Ditivas complete for now. Each carried the weight of what had transpired and the knowledge of battles yet to come.
Standing at the base of the ship's ramp, Aayam turned toward the gathered citizens of Ditivas. Despite the chaos and destruction left in Yugasura's wake, the Ditivasis, alongside the representatives of the Simhika region, stood united, gratitude visible in their eyes.
A representative from Simhika stepped forward, bowing deeply. "Aayam, we cannot thank you enough for what you have done. You defended us from a force far beyond our comprehension. But now that the danger has passed, why not stay? Let us celebrate your courage and sacrifice."
Aayam chuckled softly, his single eye glinting with both weariness and resolve. "I appreciate the sentiment," he said, "but this isn't over. Do you know, with every move I made during this fight, every decision, every attack… it created ripples. Each one birthed another reality. And in those realities, there are other Yugasuras—some still wreaking havoc, others just as dangerous as the one we faced here." He glanced up at the colossal ship looming above them. "My work isn't finished yet."
The crowd murmured in awe and concern.
A Ditivasi elder stepped forward, offering Aayam a ceremonial staff as a token of their gratitude. "Then go with our blessings" the elder said. "May your strength and wisdom guide you."
Aayam accepted the staff with a nod of thanks, then turned to the ship's ramp. The members of the Deep State were waiting, their expressions solemn but understanding. As Aayam ascended the ramp, he paused for a final glance at the Ditivas sky, now calm after the storm.
Inside the ship, Sheriff Aayam, tipping his cowboy hat, gave a knowing smile. "Took ya long enough," he said.
Aayam smirked. "Let's just say I had a proper goodbye to make."
The ship's engines roared to life as the ramp sealed behind him. Through the windows, the citizens of Ditivas watched the vessel rise into the sky, its imposing silhouette soon disappearing among the stars.
As the ship cruised through the void of space, Aayam stood among his counterparts. "Every one of us," he began, his voice steady but determined, "knows what's coming. For every Yugasura we've dealt with, countless more exist. This isn't just a mission. It's a responsibility. For the sake of every reality that exists, we fight."
The Deep State operatives nodded in agreement. Each of them, unique in their own way, shared the burden of protecting the multiverse.
The ship surged forward, heading toward the unknown, carrying with it not just warriors but the weight of infinite possibilities.
Inside the SSHQ, Zede, Kylan, and Diego sat restrained in the memory-erasing chamber, the soft hum of the machinery surrounding them. They opened their eyes, disoriented at first, but quickly realized where they were. Panic set in.
"Let us out!" Kylan shouted, slapping his palms against the glass. "Kaal, please! Don't do this!"
Diego joined him, his voice trembling. "We didn't even say goodbye to our friends at Ditivas! Jacob, Kiira, Regal, Chimney... we'll forget them! Please stop!"
Zede, his voice firm but pained, added, "They're part of who we are! Don't take that from us!"
The three of them continued to plead, their hands pounding against the transparent barrier, desperation etched on their faces. Kaal stood on the other side, his expression neutral, but there was a faint trace of conflict in his eyes. Beside him, Mendle monitored the control panel, ready to proceed.
"It's for their own safety," Mendle said firmly, his fingers hovering over the activation switch.
"They'll thank us someday," Kaal muttered, though his gaze lingered on the trio, their voices echoing in the chamber.
Before Mendle could activate the sequence, a sudden, inexplicable spark of energy surged into the chamber. The light was bright and unnatural, coursing into the bodies of Zede, Kylan, and Diego. They gasped as the energy overwhelmed them, their movements growing erratic before their bodies went limp. Silence filled the room.
Mendle stepped back, startled. "What was that?"
Kaal stared at the unconscious trio, his brow furrowing. "I... don't know. But it seems the chamber completed its task."
Inside, Zede, Kylan, and Diego lay motionless. The memories they had fought so hard to hold onto—their friends at Ditivas, the bonds they had forged—were gone, erased as if they had never existed.
Kaal turned to Mendle, his voice low. "Keep them under observation. Whatever happened here... we need to understand it."
Mendle nodded, but the room remained heavy with an unspoken unease, as if something beyond their control had just begun to unfold.