The ship finally touched down on Alpha-10. Talus began to stretch his neck and then crack his back, neck and knuckles, after he was done snapping his vertebrae and joints into place he ran his hand through his hair and leaned his head back. Our five heroes stepped out of the spacecraft noticing how somber the planet was. "There are a number of Arcturian villages located all over the place, they are a primitive race, I'd be surprised if there were more than 20,000 of them in all. I have no idea what that tyrant wants with this worthless planet," said Lupus. The sky above Alpha-10 was a haunting violet, layered with dense clouds that rumbled with an unnatural, low hum. The five warriors stood at the edge of a grassy ridge, surveying a scattered tapestry of crude huts and torch-lit paths winding through a valley below. Talus lowered his head and narrowed his eyes. "You feel that?" he asked, his voice low and sharp.
Hermes nodded. "Yeah… this place is dead quiet, but something's moving. A presence—deep, restrained... watching us." Ungar stepped forward, massive and brooding, the cape at his back flaring slightly from a sudden gust. "We're not here for a recon mission. We're here to destroy this monster. Suddenly, a ripple echoed across the landscape like a tremor through time itself. The grass around their feet twitched. The sky cracked—not with lightning, but with energy, golden and red.
FWOOOOOSH! A streak of flame plummeted from the clouds, colliding into a mountainside near the largest of the Arcturian villages. The blast sent tremors through the valley. "Contact already?!" Talus shouted, jumping onto a nearby boulder to gain a better view. Smoke rose from the impact crater, and through the mist… they saw him. A figure floated out of the fire. Clad in a gold and violet uniform laced with jagged crystalline armor, he bore a chilling resemblance to a humanoid reptilian—sharp fangs, wide eyes that gleamed with malice, and a tail that flicked behind him like a coiled whip. His voice echoed as if it were layered with other voices from alternate dimensions. He was not an Arcturian but he offered to take our heroes to the nearest Arcturian village, the Arcturians welcome others from other races like him to live amongst them. Hermes began to have a vision her eyes glowed white, she said these words, these were words that would come to her when she was being spoken to by her Creator, her Rabb or Lord, "Because of you [meaning a Creator God] we, above the ground, on in the same state as you, within it that which emaciates us, is like that which consumes you. It is as if "you" took a look at my condition and feared experiencing it if you lived, and chose death or bereavement, you left the beautiful woman with the tears that dissolve with beauty in her eyes." She fell on her hands and knees after she came out of this trance. Huffing and puffing.
As this was happening the Coyote Wolf was walking towards a small village with several large aliens named Club and Mug. They were large aliens with one eyeball in the middle of their heads. The Coyote Wolf walked towards the small blue aliens who cowered in fear he laughed, "I hear you might know the location of Pandora's fox?"
Meanwhile back in the Dream World, the Imam, Doctor Amadeus, Farabius, Zelanius and two small demons they met named Tic and Tac who were also members of the guild walked into a new realm noticing a huge mystical sign: "WELCOME TO BEACH-LAND." Doctor Amadeus smile: "I've been to countless realms, cosmoses, universes, dimensions, multiverses, meta-realms, etc. and I've never heard any place called Beach-Land." The Imam grimaced, "Quiet! We're being watched." They remained calm for some time when Amadeus blurted out that nothing was happening. The Imam turned around quickly and kicked a bomb back towards a former direction. The bomb landed in front of two figures who jumped back. One was a little guy with a green hat with a bomb wick at the top with round glasses and a ridiculous tiny lump of a body and his sidekick was a large blue bird with a halo over his head. "Rats! They dodged our attack! We nearly were among the first Dreamlanders to kill a Realwordlander. We would have been legends! We couldn't make 500 million Zeni if we took back their heads to the Beachland Mob." The Bird huffed: "Typical, we never get easy prey."
Zelanius's elbow crashed into Eddy's face, sending the bomb-hatted lunatic spiraling through a tiki hut. But before Zelanius could press the attack, a sonic wave tore through the dreamscape, and suddenly Beak the giant bird was there, feathers glowing with celestial light, halo humming like a tuning fork. "NO ONE HITS MY PARTNER!" Beak roared, flapping hard enough to generate shockwaves that ripped the sand into a cyclone. Zelanius blocked with a cross-arm guard, sliding backward, heels digging trenches into the dream-soil. "Hahaha! He's strong!" cackled Farabius, the horned demon with one eye glowing green and the other pink. He cracked his knuckles. "Zelanius! Let's get to it meat's back on the menu!" "Roger that!" shouted Zelanius, rejoining Farabius mid-air. They spun together like a helix of red and violet energy, forming a two-demon drill that screamed toward Beak—CLAAAAANG!!! The halo detached from Beak's head mid-spin and caught the duo, stopping their rotation like a gyroscopic trap. Beak flapped his wings once—and sent them flying across the beach into a watermelon stand.
Doctor Amadeus smirked. "A divine-based kinetic deflection field. Interesting…" The Imam lifted a hand. "Now." FLASH!! Dozens of calligraphic runes materialized in the sky around Eddy, who was still recovering. Golden Arabic letters spiraled into a cage of spiritual fire. "Seal of the Sixth Heaven: Barrier of Hudhud!" shouted al-Tayyib. Eddy screamed, his stubby legs flailing as the fire began to encase him. "NO NO NO, YOU TURBANED NERD! GET OFF MY VIBE!!"
He tossed bomb clones of himself out in all directions. "Watch out! They multiply when scared!" yelled Amadeus. Eddy began to shake and he multiplied into no less than 50 of himself who were not bombs they climbed into a giant ball and Eddy kicked that ball straight into our heroes. The Imam noticed something, "I see. Well two can play at that game." The Imam began to shake and transformed into many clones of himself all the clones shook with the colors and fabric of reality they all attacked the clones of Eddy.
It seemed at least at the moment they were evenly matched. Eddy turned red and smoke began to fly out of his ears like a character. "Why won't you just die already!" Eddy pointed towards our heroes, "GET THEM BEAK!" Beak shouted: "I'm on it." And excreeted a large bird turd that landed direction on Eddy to everyone's surprise three dots appeared above Eddy. He began to grow angry. "Beak can I speak with you for a minute." He began to yell at Beak and say, "I told you not to unload on me ever again." Beak apologized profusely, "so you want me to use the egg attack." he said. Eddy shouted: "OF COURSE, YOU BUFFOON!" The bird smiled that can be arranged. Beak flew into the sky, cloned thousands of himself with his dream clones and they all threw eggs down towards the earth at our heroes. The Imam yelled: "Take to the air now!"
The sky cracked open like a shattered mirror.
Thousands of avian afterimages—each one a copy of Beak—spread out in a grand spiral like a celestial peacock. Each clone shimmered with the hazy logic of the Dream World—some slightly pixelated, others blurred by the dripping logic of subconscious architecture. "RAIN OF THE THOUSAND DAWN-EGGS!!" Beak's voice echoed from every direction, turning the dream-beach into a war zone. The sky rumbled. Then the eggs began to fall. Some were the size of pebbles. Others—the size of houses. They spun with spiral sigils etched into their shells, glowing faintly with Divine Avian Script. Each egg contained a different effect—explosions, gravity reversal, time skips, sudden flashbacks, nostalgic music cues, even eggs that emitted philosophical doubt. "Now, that's excessive," muttered Doctor Amadeus, tapping a console of magic runes suspended mid-air.
He punched a button: "LOOP CIRCUIT ALPHA—DREAM DEFENSE: MARROW SHIELD." VVVRRRRMMM!!! A dome of reflective bone circled the heroes, shaped like an ivory seashell. Each egg that hit it bounced, exploding in cascading light without harming them.
"Don't rely on me forever," Amadeus added. "This tech only lasts eight seconds." "Eight seconds is eternity!" yelled Tic, now surfing on a flying fish while holding Tac's tail like a slingshot.
"Let's do our signature move!" Tac cried. They zoomed out of the barrier. Tic & Tac Special Technique 03B9: 'NOG SHOCK BLITZ!' The twins spun through the air like corkscrews, deflecting eggs back at the clones with their tiny horns and comical defiance. Beak's clones began detonating in mid-air, feathers exploding like fireworks. Meanwhile, the Imam's clones—still shimmering like the folds of a prayer rug made of spacetime—rose upward, standing upon glowing calligraphic platforms. "In the Name of the Architect of Worlds," the Imam whispered, eyes narrowing. "Seal of Ayat al-Buruj! Gate of the Celestial Watchtower—OPEN!" A giant ring of light burst open above the real Beak, made entirely of ancient Arabic script circling in rapid motion. Through it stepped a massive spectral owl, its wings extending miles wide. "WHO TRESPASSES THIS REALM OF BALANCE?" it boomed. Beak screeched back, "I AM THE SKY! I AM THE LAW ABOVE THIS LAND!" They clashed. BIRD VS. BIRD.
Divine Owl vs. Dream Avian Titan. The skies lit with fractal lightning as the two titans slammed against each other. Feathers and calligraphy tore the dream-fabric apart. The clouds turned into shattered glass, reflecting scenes from other dreams—children playing, lost realms, forgotten gods.
It was really a trap the owl was really a mirage, the Imam was above Beak he had his hand at his side in a strange position. Shouting: "QADAR INTENSTIFY! Burst Open and Mix… NIGHT OF THE FALLING STARS!" A large meteor shower came from the Imam's hands and Beak began to squawk in terror, "Bawk bawk, bawk, bawk, bawk…"
Meanwhile, back on the ground— Zelanius and Farabius had made it to the heart of the clone-ball of Eddy. "Ready for 'The Meat Grinder'?" Zelanius asked, grin widening. Farabius cracked his neck. "Haven't done that one since we were in Demon Sunday school." DEMONIC GRINDER FORMATION: DOUBLE HELLSPIN! They both lit up with shadow energy and became a cyclone of talons, horns, and fangs, ripping through the cloneball until they reached the original Eddy, still flailing inside. Eddy screamed, eyes bloodshot, tiny legs twitching. "YOU WANT TO SEE REAL POWER?! I'LL SHOW YOU!!!" The wick on his hat lit. Amadeus's eyes widened. "Imam! That's no wick—that's a soul-fuse! He's transforming!" "DREAM SYSTEM – ALERT: FORM CHANGE – EDDY: LIVING BOMB DEITY FORM ALPHA." Eddy's body expanded, glowing veins coursing through him, his glasses turning into spirals of ancient symbols. His voice echoed: "YOU WANT TO MOCK MY SIZE? YOU WANT TO MOCK MY VOICE? THEN HEAR THE LAST WORDS OF THE BOMB PRINCE—" KA-KA-KA-KA-BOOOOOOOMMMM!!!!!!! The explosion didn't just affect space—it hit emotion, memory, and color itself.
Entire patches of Beach-Land ceased to exist for 0.4 seconds. Smoke cleared.
Only six figures remained standing—charred, breathing hard, but smiling. The Imam floated down, robes fluttering, turban still glowing with stardust. "Are we done here?" "Not quite…" The dream shook again. A dark gate opened. From it stepped a masked figure in armor made of burning hourglasses, carrying a blade of frozen possibility. "Dreamlord Executor Level: JUDGE ZION." Farabius squinted. "Now that… looks like something serious." Eddy created a clone of himself that looked like the original one he jumped on top of a giant bomb and began to roll towards our heroes, the six of them began to ran realizing that Eddy had created a wall of dream embers on both sides they were forced to run from the bomb in one direction as Eddy balance on the ball Beak threw his eggs some of them accidentally hitting Eddy. The Imam had an idea, "he began to repel all the eggs back at Eddy causing him to fall over and the bomb reered offcourse and exploded." The explosion curved reality. Beach-Land's skies twisted into a checkerboard of memory fragments, warped dreams, and unfinished thoughts. One of the pineapples on the beach stood up and applauded, then burst into glitter.
Out of the blast zone, Eddy's twitching clone coughed up confetti and then vanished into static. The real Eddy was gone—he ran with his tail between his legs. Beak took off with his both. Doctor Amadeus checked a monitor. "They're fleeing, they seem weak. Can we expect much stronger beings than them in this realm?" The Imam exhaled. His turban flickered faintly with residual stardust. The Imam replied: "Yes, I believe so." A figure walked up to them it was anthromorphic dolphin, "Are you folks alright?" The Imam stood up slowly, "Yes I believe we're okay. But more importantly where are we precisely?" The dolphin laughed, "this is part of the abode of Beachland, Beachland by itself is bigger than an entire Cosmos the town "Beachtown" is the size of a city, while Beach City is the size of a continent." The Imam smiled, "That makes sense, the Dream World is endless compared to mortal comprehension it goes on for what we would call infinity." The dolphin nodded, "Then you are real worlders?! Joy I've always wanted to meet realworlders I believed they were only myths and legends!"
A warm breeze passed through the air, brushing past shattered ruins of fruit stands and cracked dream-palms. The chaos had faded. The sky, now a calm swirl of soft pinks and oranges, looked like a Van Gogh painting melting into itself. Small tidepools shimmered with floating dreamfish. The sands had reformed themselves into checkered pastel dunes, and the pineapple that exploded earlier had returned, now humming softly to itself like nothing had happened. The Imam, still dusting off a few flecks of starlight from his robe, stepped forward, hand extended politely.
"We didn't catch your name, friend." The dolphin, standing upright in a bright red tank-top with a whistle around his neck, saluted dramatically.
"I'm Lieutenant Splashington Flip Delmar IV, Head Lifeguard of Beachtown Sector 2-B!" he beamed. "But you can call me Flip. Everyone does." Farabius squinted. "Wait. You're telling me there are sectors of a town in a realm the size of a cosmos?"
"Absolutely!" Flip grinned, flipping a clipboard into the air and catching it with his snout. "We dolphins are an orderly people. Even in dreams." Amadeus raised an eyebrow. "Then tell us, Lieutenant. What exactly is Beachtown?" Flip nodded sagely, then gestured toward a nearby surfboard-shaped sign that read "BEACHTOWN INFO HUB – Please Take A Tour Shell". A conch shell popped out of the stand and began floating in mid-air, projecting a magical slideshow of colorful images and diagrams. "Beachtown is one of the many Dream Biomes formed during the Second Subconscious Convergence, a major event when the Dream World restructured itself following the collapse of the Nightmare Frontier. It's governed by the Beachland Dream Council, which consists of dolphins, tanuki, dream-corals, and one disgruntled lobster." "Population: fluctuating. Most residents aren't stable—some are real people dreaming, others are conceptual fragments. Only guild-affiliated dreamfolk like myself hold long-term form!" Amadeus was in shock: "The Guild has connections to the dream world?!" Flip remarked: "Well it did. Our Guild split off from them as soon as our worlds separated long ago our worlds were one but since then this world's guild has become a separate entity." Flip continued. "Landmarks include: the Infinite Slip & Slide, the Sunset Market, Sandcastle Cathedral, and the Tiki District (which is under mob control… you've already met their agents)." "Beware of: Chrono-Rip Currents, Mirage Vortices, and Ice Cream Golems. Oh, and don't mess with the Beach Ball of Fate unless you've got a divine license."
The slideshow ended with a cheerful ukulele jingle and the phrase "THANK YOU FOR DREAMING WITH US!" Zelanius blinked. "This place is insane." Tac jumped onto Flip's back. "Can we go to the Slip & Slide?!" "Later," the Imam said calmly, looking at the ocean where strange shapes moved in the reflection of the sun. "Lieutenant, can you escort us to a place of rest and perhaps a node of dream-navigation?" Flip gave a firm nod. "Right this way!" The group walked through winding pastel streets filled with lazy dream-cats, levitating umbrellas, and vendor stalls run by cloud-people. Floating surfboards acted as public transit. Dreamfolk of all shapes and sizes waved as the realworlders passed—some bowing in reverence, others just snapping memory-photos.
They passed:
The Conch Library: where all recorded dreams are kept. Every book breathes.
The Time-Lag Theater: showing a performance of "Your Most Forgotten Childhood Joy."
The Foam Fountain: rumored to bubble with the laughter of the ocean's soul.
The Imam stopped to observe a tiny floating island with a white chair.
"It's a Memory Seat," Flip explained. "If you sit on it, a dream you forgot will visit you. Usually the ones that mattered most." Amadeus knelt beside it. "Fascinating… the Dream World stores what the waking world can't." Farabius crossed his arms. "I still don't trust it." Zelanius chuckled. "You are literally made of shadow rage.
Flip brought them to a coral-encrusted inn at the edge of Beachtown, where the sea stretched into aurora-colored mist. Inside, the tavern was quiet, warm, filled with the soft buzz of dreams waiting to be dreamt. The dolphin set down a round of dream-milkshakes. "I'll leave you here. If the Guild sent you, there's more coming. You'll want to be rested before you reach the Boardwalk of Thresholds. That's where the next trial begins." The Imam gave a grateful nod. "You've been a kind guide. Jazak Allah khayran." Flip saluted again, his flippers flapping. "Good luck, realworlders. Not all dreamers get to walk where you're going." He dove out the window into the sea, leaving behind a perfect ripple of light.
"Well, we haven't solved the dream's purpose. We need to continue until we do or we die. Any ideas?" said Farabius. As they thought something was watching them it burst out of the bushes. It was a cat wearing a thief's mask who stole a magical knife from Amadeus, "Suckers, this will fetch a fortune!" Amadeus was furious. Flip appeared behind them again, "that was Siegel, he's a local thief, and a kitty cat too I guess." Amadeus shrugged: "It wasn't that important, we need to keep moving, we have to solve the purpose of the dream."
Back on Alpha-10… The scorched winds howled across the dying plains as energy residue still crackled from the battle before. Lupus stood atop a jagged plateau, eyes locked on a figure floating far in the distance. His red cape snapped behind him as his black sci-fi armor began to glow with heat lines from sheer power output. Lupus chuckled to himself. "Oh, this is too perfect." His smile widened into something feral. "I want you first." With a thunderclap of sound, he took off—a beam of black-and-red energy shooting across the sky. From the ridge below, the rest of the team turned to give chase—but Ungar raised a hand. "No." The others froze. Ungar stared at the horizon, expression grim. "Let him go. He has unfinished business on this planet." Hovering above the plains, sleek and emotionless, was Zion—the Executor, once a high-ranking figure in the Empire of Lupus's father, now clad in temporal armor with hourglass etchings and a blade at his side made of crystallized memory. Zion turned slowly. "So... the prodigal son returns." Lupus hovered across from him, arms crossed. "You were the first traitor. The first coward. So how does it feel to be ruled by those that hate you?" Zion's eyes narrowed. "I acted in accordance with time's flow. Your father grew irrational. You followed his madness." Lupus laughed darkly. "Spare me. You betrayed your Emperor because you were weak. And now..." "You'll die for it." Zion raised his hand. Zion laughed cockily right back: "I must say though, you must really have a deathwish Lupus. Coming all the way here to certain death. You've already lost you were the king's child but I was always stronger than you, you know that." Lupus sighed: "Things have changed I've grown stronger, while you've remained stagnant." Zion replied: "Oh my poor boy, you've really lost your edge Lupus you don't have a prayer. For starter's you're not even a match for my temporal sync level. I've evolved past you." Lupus laughed: "Well you're in for a treat then, watch." Lupus vanished. Zion blinked. "Wha—" BAM! A knee exploded into Zion's gut from behind. "Guhhh—!!" Zion was blasted across the sky, his armor trailing sparks. He barely stopped himself mid-air when Lupus reappeared in front of him with a smirk. "What's wrong, Zion? Thought your title would save you?"
Zion grunted, wiping blood from his mouth. He fired a volley of chronoblasts, but Lupus zipped between them easily, dodging with minimal movement. "Your speed—what—!?" "I've been training while you've been hiding behind titles and your new precious Lord. Did you really think a pampered peon like you stood a chance against the God of all Creation? HAHAHA! Don't make me laugh." Zion screamed and charged, swinging his blade— WHAM! Lupus caught the blade with one hand. Zion's eyes widened in horror. "Impossible—" Lupus squeezed. CRRRRKKK!!! The sword shattered like brittle glass. Zion reeled back, arm shaking. Lupus slowly hovered forward, "Hehehe… you haven't seen anything yet." "Beg for your life." Zion panicked and turned to fly away—but Lupus was already in front of him. "No running." Lupus's hand glowed. A pulse of energy ripped through Zion's chest. He gasped, falling back, smoke rising from the wound. "I—I surrender—!" Lupus hovered closer, voice flat with wrath. "You don't get to beg." "You die exactly the way you lived—" "Weak. And in fear." Lupus smirked, "But since I'm feeling so generous I'll give you a little taste of the power I have at my disposal." Lupus transformed into his god form. He was glowing with translucent energy. Zion tried to fight Lupus but the frog alien had no chance against the space wolf. "Please Lupus, we can fight together, I'll help you fight the Coyote Wolf. You're right I never really liked him." This angered Lupus beyond belief: "You're so pathetic." Zion said back: "What did you say?" Lupus shouted: "I said you're a pathetic waste of oxygen I don't care whether your olive branch is honest or under-handed it doesn't matter, its irrevlanet. Because anyone willing to plead for their life is weak, and they deserve death." Zion stepped back. Lupus stepped forward, "As you can see I have achieved the power of a God, while you remain in mortal flesh." Zion tried to flee. "You're not going anywhere!" cried Lupus.
With a final roar, Lupus formed a sphere of pure annihilation energy "This is for my father, and the empire you spit on." "DIE!" He hurled the sphere—it consumed Zion instantly in a vortex of black-red light. The explosion rippled through the atmosphere, leaving behind only silence and ash. Lupus stood alone, arms at his side, the wind whispering across the ruins. "Hmmm what a waste. I should have done that years ago. But oh well what's done is done, I'll destroy all of them. I'll make them pay for betraying me and my father."
Malicio (wiping blood from his chin, voice cold and sharp):
"The Void... stirs. Slowly, yes. But it's waking up. Every second it feeds on the cracks in the Dream World's defenses." (He rises, his cape flickering like smoke caught in windless air.) "We cannot waste time. Kakia has found someone—one touched by despair, and molded in chaos. She will return soon." Zora/Maria (arms crossed, her voice calm but shadowed with doubt):
"And what of reinforcements from the other side? Is the Void sending more than just rumors this time?" Malicio (grunting, his voice like metal grinding against bone):
"They are sending Envy, one of the Twelve Deadly Sins. One of their elite." (The Dream World rumbles as if reacting to the name itself. Mirage flinched. Even Zora's eyes widen slightly.) Malicio: "But don't celebrate. The portal is still weak. Only one or two can slip through at a time. Unlike the Realm of Nightmares…" —He gestured toward the horizon, where a black castle flickers in and out of existence like a cursed mirage. The wind carries whispers and screams from unseen mouths.—: The Realm of Nightmares… not one land, but many. A thousand hells, stitched together by madness and fear, each one ruled by a different horror. And all of them under the dominion of something foreign to the void. Rohan the Echidna (cracking his knuckles, smirking): "Heh. Sounds like a carnival. And what of the great sister, Malicio? Or are we still pretending she doesn't exist?" Malicio's expression hardens. Even the shadows seem to retreat. Malicio (quietly, dangerously):
"Silence, Rohan. She is not to be spoken of lightly. Not now. Not until the time is right." Mirage the Dark Elf (his eyes flickering):
"And when will that be? When the entire Dream World is ash?" A sudden ripple in the air. A spiraling vortex opens nearby, dark with Void magic. Kakia steps through—her long coat whipping behind her, her left arm replaced by a serpentine construct of writhing shadow. Kakia (smiling wickedly): "Speak of nightmares, and they shall arrive." Beside her was a figure in a dark cloak with the face of a jack-o-lantern: "Hello my name is Carnival, I am one from the realm of Nightmares." Malicio smirking back:
"Congratulations, Kakia we have one new member to add to our organization." Kakia laughed: "I'm not even done silly billy three others have caught my attention, they should be with us soon." Zora (stepping forward, hand on blade): "Enough. Save it for the front lines. The children of light are gathering too. Ungar, Hermes, that cursed rabbit…" Kakia:
"Hehehehe…. Oh sweet Hermes when the time comes I'll make sure that we'll play and have lots and lots of fun. Hehehe."
"And so, the army of the Abyss began to form—not with numbers, but with nightmares. The Dream World would never be the same."
On the ground the Coyote Wolf and his henchmen Clug and Mug were standing over the corpses of the Arcturians. The Coyote Wolf noted: "There isn't any sign of the Paradox Box anywhere he." He noticed something, "I feel a presence, It's Lupus. And he's brought company with him." Clug chirped back: "Should we deal with it now." The Coyote Wolf laugh: "Not yet we'll deal with them when we get the Pandora's Box we'll just send Calypso to deal with him in the meantime, he should be able to stall for time, who knows maybe he'll even defeat Lupus." Calypso was a large alien with three eyes and big horns. He was noticed of the situation and after feeling out Lupus's aura he flew off in the direction of the angry king. Eventually he neared his location but couldn't find him. But coming from his blind spot Lupus knocked Calypso into the dirt. Calypso got up panting and huffing. "Urgh—what the hell?!" cried Calypso. Lupus (snarling): "You should've stayed hidden." Calypso bellowed: "I'll grind your bones into space-dust!" The two of them began to exchange rapid punches in midair. Calypso spun with a shoulder tackle—Lupus flipped over him and kicked downward, driving the brute into the canyon floor with a thunderous crash. Dust and stone exploded upward like a geyser.
"Huff... Huff... You're strong… But you're no god!" said Calypso. Lupus laughed: "I don't need to be a god to squash an insect like you." Calypso roared, energy flaring—the third eye on his forehead opened wide, and a beam of chaos energy fired directly at Lupus. But Lupus vanished. "Behind you stupid!" cried Lupus. He punches Calypso in the gut. Time seems to stop. A crack rips through Calypso's body—his armor fractures, his eyes bulge. Calypso blood spurting from his mouth:
"W-WHAT—?!" Lupus laughed at his opponent: "You don't stand a chance, it's time to end this." Calypso began to fight off Lupus but Lupus was on the offensive he grabbed Calypso's two arms and began to twist them backwards. "Oh my, your quite clumsy Calypso you should have seen that coming a mile away." Lupus began to twist Calypso's arms back as you could hear Calypso's arms slowly break. He screamed out for mercy. "Please Lupus, have mercy." Lupus continued laughing: "Mercy?! Like the mercy you had for my father when you stabbed him in the back! This was supposed to be my empire yet you conquer planets and subjigate people under another standard." Eventually the arms snapped and Calypso began shrieking in howling pain his rib cage and cervix partially shattered from the shock as well.
Calypso screamed out as Lupus said: "Hold on theres still more to break." Calypso (gasping, barely able to breathe, one arm hanging twisted):
"Please—Lupus... wait! I can tell you—tell you the last words... of your father!" Lupus's eyes flicker. The wind stills. His fists stop mid-motion, one crackling with energy. He lets go of Calypso who's arms dangle to the grown broken and shattered. Lupus says coldly: "...Speak." Calypso replies: "Only if you promise to spare my life." Lupus becomes irritated: "You're lucky I'm not destroying you where you stand so speak before I lose my patience." Calypso (trembling, voice hoarse): "The Coyote Wolf... he keeps it in his palace... a final recording... from Emperor Varion or Lupus III..." Lupus's glare sharpens. Calypso said panting:
"He said… 'Please, Lupus... I'm sorry I expected so much of you. I'm sorry I wanted you to become God. You can choose whatever path you desire. You can throw away the empire—just live, my son. Promise me you won't die. I know we destroyed countless souls... but I hope, if there is a God… he is good, and keeps you safe.'" A beat of silence. The wind swirls. The canyon creaks as though holding its breath. Calypso (desperately):
"He loved you! He regretted everything! I swear on my soul! That message… it's real… please, if you have any mercy—let me go..." Lupus lowers his hand. Calypso's eyes light up with hope. A moment of calm… Lupus (quietly): "...Thank you for telling me that."
Lupus (snarling, voice rising like a beast):
"And now I know EXACTLY what your betrayal cost him." Calypso (horrified):
"W-What?"Lupus stepped forward his aura flaring violently:
"You think some half-hearted confession will erase what you did? You betrayed the Emperor. My father! You served the Coyote Wolf like a dog while stabbing his legacy in the back!" Lightning erupted around him. The rocks beneath his feet melted into glass. Lupus: "I will not let his final words be mocked by YOUR cowardice!" Calypso (panicked):
"B-But I helped you! I—!" Lupus was furious now:
"Blow it at your ass! Scum like you deserve no second chances!" He lunged—his knee crashed into Calypso's stomach with earth-shattering force. Calypso vomits blood, body lifting off the ground from the sheer power of the blow. Lupus (grabbing Calypso by the horns):
"This pain? This is the mercy you gave my father!" He slammed Calypso into the canyon wall—once, twice, thrice—until the stone cracked and collapsed. He hurled Calypso into the sky with a single punch— Lupus: "YOU LIVE IN THE SHADOW OF MY FATHER, AND YOU DARED TO MOCK HIS FINAL WISHES! By killing me, his son." He appeared above Calypso mid-air in a flash—both fists glowing with divine gold. Lupus roared: "FINAL FANG—EXECUTION!" In a flash everything was over.
Hermes (head bowed, gripping the hilt of her blade):
"Please. I need more power. If I'm to stand against the Void, against Lupus… I need to become more than what I am." Elder Myrûn (eyes closed, speaking in a voice like wind through broken time):
"Power comes with price, child of starlight. But I see the flame in you… and the burden." Elder Myrun continued: "In order to give you access to this power I need to know that you follow the Architect and tell me whether is the Architect above the Throne or somewhere else?" Hermes replied: "The Architect is above the Throne but the Throne is not what people may imagine it to be." The Elder nodded, "Very good, that is the correct answer." The elder followed up what does the Architect look like in his physical appearance." Hermes replied: "Everything that His (meaning God) are endowed with of perfected qualities, the Architect possesses. Also every fault which His creatures are declared above, the Architect is declared above them." The elded nodded and continued: "And if one we're to say the Arcitect made us in his image?" Hermes replied: "This is false for there is nothing among his creatures like the Architect." The elder continued, "so the Arcitect never had a hand to make his creation?" Hermes replied simply: "If one was to assert that the Architect does not have a hand of the genus of created being - that is in the sense of a limb - then this is true. If however, one claims that the Arcitect's hand is not additional to his attributes he has grossly erred." The old man was stunned as if no one had gotten that question right before. The old man replied: "Does that not mean that the Arcitect does not move and that he is not a mover." Hermes thought for a moment and then said: "It would be foolish to say that the Arcitect could not move for if he could not move and his Creations could move the Arcitect would be inferior to his creations. However, evenstill the Arcitect is without place, and He is as He existed, exalted above time and place because upon them depend the limits and ends of things." The old man thought for a moment and then shook his head in approval. Hermes followed up by saying: "Others deny the ascription of the place of the Architect, whether it is one place or every place, except in the metaphorical senses that He the Architect preserves them and causes them to exist… And as hard as it is to understand, all that being said the follower is also without a doubt true, whatever cannot be sensed by the five or more senses is nothing but a non-existent. The generality of the generations before and those who affirm the powers and attributes of the Architect maintain that the Architect can be witnessed, seen and sensed."
The old man apologized: "I'm sorry that this is taking so long, but I must be certain before I can allow you to take on the mantle to protect our people and be given the secrets of our people." Hermes nodded: "I understand." The elder declared: "What of those who others claim are false prophets and miracle workers are there things like Saints in this world and do they perform miracles or is this the dark arts?" Hermes took a deep breath: "The miracles of saints are absolutely true and correct, by the acceptance of countless scholars of the Righteous Orthodox sects, the rightly guided people, the saved sect, the saved sects and tribes, the Heterodox peoples and even the Heretics and even the Elders of the Occult have all confirmed the validity of the miracles of Saints. And the many books and legends and the tales of Sages, Mandarins, Warriors and Prophets have made it clear and have mentioned the power and miracles of the saints. Any people who deny this are innovators along with their followers… What is considered a miracle of a saint is that sometimes a saint may hear something that others do not hear and they may see something that others do not see, while not in a sleeping state but in a wakened state of vision. And he can know something that others cannot know, through revelation or inspiration." The old man unphased this time said: "And would someone who denies this simply be a fool meaning someone who denies both the directionality and non-direction of the Architect and the abilities of Saints and others?" Hermes replied: "The heart of a fool is in his mouth, and the mouth of a wise man is his heart… And therefore there are two qualities such that there is no quality above them; faith in the Architect and serving his brothers. And anger is the key to every evil." The old man nodded: "And is this light sufficient to save someone from infamy?" Hermes replied: "The Light of the Architect and his Ministers does not abandon anyone in this world. May the shade of his good fortune shine upon everyone! He brings all of those who are led away into the Way out of the desert." The old man nodded: "Then should not the veil be lifted?" Hermes shook her head no: "No because those in the world would be flooded by destraction. If the veil were lifted we would all be wandering around the forest all day praising the Architect!" The old man said: "My last question great Sage, How do dreams factor into reality?" Hermes replied: "We always live in our dreams we do not live day by day. Sometimes we accomplish our greatest deeds in our dreams."
The old man stood up: "Praise the Architect! For he has spoken to this girl! I have never met someone who can say the same thing for this there can be no doubt!" Elder Myrûn: "Take the Rite of Augmentation. Your soul will either be reborn… or consumed." Hermes stepped forward:
"I'll endure it. Even if it breaks me." The prism exploded into a storm of radiant glyphs that surround Hermes—her body lifts off the ground, spinning as runes burned into her skin and her hair flares with raw divine energy. Screams echoed from another world. A vision of her younger self appears, eyes wide. Younger Hermes:
"Are you ready to become a weapon?" Hermes cried out:
"No. I'm going to become a shield!" With a pulse of light, the transformation is complete. Hermes lands, now clad in crystalline armor laced with ancient circuitry, her aura glowing blue-white like a dying star. A vision appeared of the mountain peak of Ardatha, the floating temple illuminated by twin suns as clouds spiral below. The wind dances with a sacred hum. HERMES stands now in the center of the ritual chamber, still smoldering from the Rite of Augmentation. The once serene chamber is now a cyclone of shattered illusions—her armor glowing with sacred power, the runes freshly branded onto her skin still pulsing. The ELDER MYRÛN watches with awe and reverence, his voice trembling—not from fear, but from joy.
Elder Myrûn (bowing):
"The Rite is complete… and the Architect has accepted you. I once doubted the bloodline of prophecy still lived… but now I see it walks again, in the form of a girl who understands the unseen." Hermes (catching her breath, the wind around her still turbulent):
"This form… this light… I feel connected to everything. The stars. The wind. The dreams. Is this what it means to bear the mantle of a Guardian?" Elder Myrûn:
"You are no mere guardian, Hermes. You are now the Shield-Bearer of the Architect. A title not uttered since the Days of Ash. It means you may be the last light before the dusk of all dreams."
A powerful panoramic vision floods Hermes's mind—
Ungar dueling a flame-giant beneath the ocean of worlds.
Lupus, godlike, hurling a dying star at the spire of void.
The Coyote Wolf, laughing on his throne as nightmare legions march.
And beyond them all… a Black Veil, stitched from reality itself, beginning to rip.
Hermes (whispers):
"Then there's no time." Elder Myrûn (raising his staff):
"There is one more thing… the secret of our people." A pedestal rises. Upon it, an orb swirls with fractal light—the Key of Veilreign. Elder Myrûn:
"This will lead you to the dreamless place—the Forge of Echoes—where the Architect once stood. Only the one who has mastered both truth and paradox may wield it. Guard it well… and beware of wolves in cloaks of stars."
Thunder rips through the air as the Palace of the Coyote Wolf loomed in the distance—its towers spiraling like fangs, its doors forged from bones of emperors. Lupus (walking calmly, voice filled with thunder): "You hid my father's voice in your hall of horrors, mutt. And now I've come to take it… and your skull." As he walks, armies of shadow rise. Beasts, mercenaries, voidspawn. He levels a single glowing finger. Lupus: "Get out of my way." A shockwave erupts as he blinks forward, blasting through enemies with ruthless efficiency. He tears through a thousand men in a breath, never slowing.*
The Coyote Wolf (smirking, watching the carnage through a mirror):
"So the chosen son returns." Clug (nervous): "Uh boss… maybe we should run?" Mug: "Nah we've got that pumpkin guy, right?" A demon appeared: "Don't worry master, I'll deal with him. You acquired Pandora's Box after all. You need to relax while you relish your victory."
Hermes, now flying with radiant wings of pure data-light, soars over the Arcturian valley with Ungar, Talus and Sir Rhyme flying behind her. Villagers look up in awe as she passes. Her hair flows like ribbons of moonlight. Hermes said to herself: "Lupus… I don't know if I can save you. But I will stand between you and the world. Even if it costs me everything."
Back in the dream world the Imam and Doctor Amadeus asked Flip if there was anything unusual happening in Beachtown he told them to visit Dr. Slip. When they entered the building the door closed behind them. Something was strange, something was off. Meanwhile Lupus enters the Palace of the Coyote Wolf trying to find the recording his father made. Narrator: "The palace of betrayal. The house of the usurper. And today… it becomes the throne of wrath." On a ridge overlooking the citadel, Lupus stood cloaked in silence. His black armor radiated steam, scorched from earlier battles. His red cape snapped like a banner of war. His eyes glowed with a fury older than vengeance itself. Lupus (growling):
"You buried my father's last words inside your twisted throne room, mutt. Now I'll dig them out of your ribs." He stepped forward. The moment his boot touches the slope— BOOM. Explosions rock the perimeter. Guard towers collapse as a horde of mercenaries, mutants, and voidspawn rise to meet him. But Lupus was already gone. In a blur of red and black, Lupus erupted forward, crashing into the first wave with a flying roundhouse kick that shatters three bodies in one move. Blades slash. He doesn't block—he rips through. Beasts screech. He tore off jaws.
Inside the bone-sculpted palace, the Coyote Wolf lounges on a throne made from petrified spines. His cold eyes watch Lupus's slaughter through a wall of enchanted glass. Coyote Wolf (smirking):
"The promised son comes to howl at the gates. Let's see how loud he gets before I break his fangs. Hahahahahahaha… and with this I'll be unstoppable." Clug (nervous): "Boss… he's taking out whole battalions like they're nothing—" Coyote Wolf (interrupting):
"That's fine. Let him burn some steam. The Vault won't open easily. Besides the villagers gave me such an auspicious gift." He looked down at the Pandora's Box.
Mug: "What if he reaches the Voice Crystal?" Coyote Wolf (grinning): "Then maybe he's earned it. Why would we spoil the fun?" Lupus reached the final hall, leaving behind only smoke and silence. A hulking war machine steps out—Warden Maledrix, protector of the Voice Crystal. His body was a mix of steel and bone, with glowing runes etched into its hide. Maledrix: "You do not belong here, false heir." Lupus (lowering his stance): "I belong wherever my father's voice calls me."
The Battle explodes. Maledrix hurls energy axes and unleashes sonic waves—Lupus countered with annihilation spheres and close-quarters brutality. The room fractures with every strike. Finally, with a roar that shakes the keep— Lupus (slamming both fists down): "FINAL FANG—BURST!" A wolf-shaped shockwave obliterates Maledrix in a flash of gold and black.
Lupus stood before a massive obsidian door. On it, the Imperial Crest of House Varion. He presses his hand to the seal—it burns, then releases. The vault opened with a hiss. Inside floats a crystal sphere, pulsing with light. A faint voice echoes out. Emperor Varion (recorded):
"Please, Lupus... I'm sorry I expected so much of you. I'm sorry I wanted you to become God. You can choose whatever path you desire. You can throw away the empire—just live, my son. Promise me you won't die. I know we destroyed countless souls... but I hope, if there is a God… he is good, and keeps you safe. Please my son, survive and carry on our name." Lupus falls to one knee. His fists tremble. The palace around him seemed to grow colder. Lupus (whispers):
"…Father…"
But there was no peace. Suddenly, a siren echoed. The room sealed behind him. Gas pours in. Traps activate. The walls themselves move. Coyote Wolf (voice over comms, calm and cruel):
"You got your little bedtime story, pup. Now let's see if you can survive my home." Lupus rose slowly. His aura reignited. Lupus (quietly, cold): "I'm going to wear your hide like a royal cloak." The Coyote Wolf laughed: "Oh you hypocrite, you and your father killed many more souls than I have." Lupus turned around to see the Coyote Wolf who was behind him smirking.
The dark vault twisted. Its walls buckled like bone wrapped in shadow, vents hissing gas while blades spun from the floor. The room had become a cage designed to kill a god. But Lupus didn't flinch. His boots dug into the tiling as his crimson aura reignited—black flames laced with divine gold. "You're not the first demon to spit lies through a grin," he growled, his voice low and cold. "But you'll be the last to do it with a jaw." The Coyote Wolf laughed: "Demon? I am this Universe's savior, I will destroy it and remake it in my image." Lupus smirked: "Is that so, well I have bad news I'm the first to do something in trillions of years… far longer actually… and now I can't be stopped." The Coyote Wolf was intrigued: "What are you talking about?" Lupus laughed: "Isn't it obvious. I'm the first to ascend to the Throne of God!!" A silence followed. Heavy. Cosmic. Even the twisting blades stilled, as if time itself hesitated. Then— Laughter. Insane, shattering, echoing laughter. The Coyote Wolf howled. He staggered back, clutching his sides, his head thrown to the heavens as tears of starlight streamed down his face. His voice warped with hysteria, bouncing off the broken walls like a mad god's heartbeat.
Coyote Wolf (laughing, uncontrollable):
"PFFF–BAHAHAHAHA! YOU?! Ascend to the THRONE?!" He dropped to one knee, slapping the floor, claws sparking against bone and dust. "You poor, broken mutt! You've finally cracked! You've gone full Messiah Complex, haven't you!? You honestly believe you're God, what a fool!!" He stood again, arms wide, spinning in place like a conductor addressing the universe. "Everyone, gather round! Witness the mighty Lupus! He's not just angry anymore—no, no, no—he's a god now!" He snapped his fingers and summoned projections of Lupus from across the battlefield—each one falling, bleeding, screaming. Twisted illusions danced around them like puppets.
Coyote Wolf (mockingly):
"Look at you! Panting. Shaking. Bleeding. A GOD? You're a mutt with a dead father." He leaned in close, his breath cold as moonlight and poisonous as betrayal. "You didn't ascend, Lupus. You snapped. And now I'm going to break what's left of you… so when you beg for death, I'll remind you—you thought you were divine. And you'll realize that you were just another false Prophet doomed to eternity." He leaned back, grinning like a wolf before the feast. "This is the best day of my eternal life. I haven't known you or your father long Lupus but even still breaking you will be quite rewarding. You really are something else!!" The air around him rippled as he prepared his next spell, voice still trembling with laughter—mad, cruel, unhinged. A bolt of plasma erupted toward him. He vanished—then reappeared behind the blast in a burst of light and smoke, cape snapping like a whip. At the far end of the chamber, the Coyote Wolf stepped forward through the smoke. His cloak shimmered with constellations—an abyss stitched from dead stars. He smirked.
Hermes soared over the Arcturian Valley, radiant wings trailing light-codes across the clouds. She felt a tremor—a sudden stillness in the pulse of the world. "He's inside," she whispered. Talus flew beside her, his eyes scanning the shifting winds. "Then the fight has begun." Sir Rhyme unsheathed his blade. "We need to breach the palace. Now." The Coyote Wolf's claws clicked on the marble. "You want closure, Lupus. But I offer transcendence," he taunted, voice echoing like dripping venom. "Why be a son… when you can be the storm your father feared?" Lupus didn't respond with words. He exploded forward, shoulder-checking a pillar into splinters and launching a glowing punch straight at the tyrant's chest. Their collision fractured the air itself. The floor shattered beneath their feet. Ceiling tiles rained down. Their blows sounded like gods breaking bones out of time. One strike from Lupus carved a crater into the wall. A retaliatory swipe from the Coyote Wolf sent him crashing through a relic spire. They moved like blurs. Claws. Fangs. Flame. Gravity. Shockwaves spread out, crumbling centuries-old sorcery with every strike.
Meanwhile, in the distorted clinic of Dr. Slip, the Imam and Doctor Amadeus followed Flip through a corridor that bent sideways. The door behind them slammed shut. "Something's wrong here," murmured the Imam. Dr. Slip emerged from a glass wall, his face half-reflection, half-flesh. "You're looking for logic in a place made of forgotten questions," he said calmly. "I'd suggest looking for the way out instead." Back in the palace, the vault fell away, revealing a cosmic arena lit by crimson moons and orbiting ruins. The stars above twisted. Time slowed. "The last duel was never about empires. Nor voices. But about legacies carved into fate itself."
Back on Alpha-10 The Coyote Wolf stepped onto the floating platform at the center of the palace throne-room. He ripped his cloak off, and it transformed into wings of starlight. His body contorted—evolved—into something dark, divine, and monstrous. "Nightfang Ascension…" he howled, "Moon Death Form!!" His fangs shimmered with voidlight. His laughter echoed like dying suns. Lupus rose from the dust. His armor, cracked and glowing, flaked away. What emerged was no longer mortal. His body radiated with celestial blood, fur and flame blending together. "Eclipse Fang…" he snarled, "Divine Hunter Mode." The final clash began. They collided mid-air—force flattening the throne room into dust. Punch met claw. Aura met starlight.
Lupus began to be pushed back and eventually he was shattered, it seemed over he couldn't defeat the Coyote Wolf. As soon as he said this the Coyote Wolf knocked him backwards which blew a hole in the top of the palace the entire top of the palace was gone and it was exposed to the sky. Lupus began to pant in desperation, "No I was supposed to be God." In that moment Hermes, Ungar, Talus and Sir Rhyme arrived. Hermes quietly said, "Lupus…" Lupus began to charge up his energy. The battle had turned. The palace's ceiling no longer existed—blasted apart by the sheer force of the Coyote Wolf's last strike. Debris floated in the air like dying stars, slowly orbiting the cratered heart of the throne room. And above it all— Lupus hovered.
The battlefield shook with destruction and divine rage. The Coyote Wolf howled with laughter as he tore through the last line of resistance. Ungar lay buried beneath rubble, his massive form unmoving.
Sir Rhyme was on the ground grabbing his pain in agony. Talus, though battered, crawled toward Hermes. And at the center of it all—Hermes stood, bloodied and trembling, clutching her cracked sword. Her breath came in shudders. The Coyote Wolf walked toward her slowly, claws dragging against the stone, sparks flying with each step. Coyote Wolf (taunting):
"You really thought this little team-up would stop me? Oh Shield-Bearer... You're nothing but a flicker before the dusk." Hermes lowered her gaze. Her knuckles turned white around the hilt. Blood ran down her arm. Then—
She heard it. Lupus, whispering. Lupus (broken, behind her):
"...Hermes…" That whisper tore through her like lightning.
Visions flashed through her mind— The dream-realm's first sunrise. The Architect's prophecy. Lupus smiling—before her and her friends had met him. Her knees buckled… but she didn't fall. She stood taller. Hermes (whispering): "No more deaths… not for your throne…" She gripped her blade and held it to the sky. The data-ribbons around her began to vibrate. Glyphs spiraled in reverse. The world pulsed with her heartbeat. Talus (barely conscious): "…Wait. What is she—?" The wind reversed. Coyote Wolf (stepping back): "…No. No. You're not—" The glyphs ignited. Hermes (roaring): "I am the Shield-Bearer of the Architect.
I AM THE BARRIER THAT DIVIDES DEATH FROM THE LIVING!
I AM HERMES—AND I. WILL. NOT. FALL!!" AWAKENING: HERMES ASCENDANT FORM – CODE AEGIS: SHATTERED DAWN The sky exploded. Wings of light burst from Hermes's back—no longer data-threads, but constellations given form. Her armor reformed, glowing with celestial fire. Her broken sword transformed into a blade of refracted timelines, glowing with impossible hues—The Dawnpiercer.
The ground could not contain her presence. The palace shook with divine rejection. Coyote Wolf (genuinely alarmed):
"…No... that's impossible. You were meant to break here." Hermes pointed her sword at him, her voice calm and cutting through reality. Hermes:
"You talk too much." She blinked. In that instant—she was in front of him. BOOM. Her slash cracked his ribs and launched him through three palace walls. She followed before the dust cleared—teleporting with pulses of radiant code, slashing with judgment in every strike. Coyote Wolf (gritting his teeth, deflecting): "What is this?! You weren't in the prophecy!" Hermes (striking again): "Then the prophecy was incomplete."
He rose from the rubble, limping slightly. Blood trickled from his lip. He looked up—and she was already there, hovering above him like a myth come to life. Hermes (leveling sword): "This world is not yours to burn." Coyote Wolf (roaring): "THEN I'LL BURN YOU FIRST!!" He launched upward, claws spinning into spirals of void energy. She flew to meet him, and their clash lit the heavens—sun against shadow, shield against claw. Below, Lupus blinked through his pain. Tears mixed with blood. Lupus (in awe, whispering): "…She… awakened…" His hand closed into a fist. His aura flickered again.
His body was bruised, blood dripping from his jaw. His cape tore in the wind. His aura sparked and spasmed, black and gold flames licking the air like a dying supernova. He looked down with wide, shaking eyes. Below him, on the fractured floor of the throne room, stood the Coyote Wolf—arms crossed, grin cruel and effortless, watching like a proud executioner. Coyote Wolf (smirking): "You're just stalling now. It's over, Lupus. You fought like a mad dog... but in the end, you'll die like the rest. Forgotten and alone." Lupus panted. Each breath felt like knives in his chest. The sky above—dark, endless—offered no comfort. He stared at his trembling hands. Energy sparked around them, wild and unstable. Lupus (quietly, to himself): "…No…" Lupus (louder, voice cracking): "No… I was supposed to be God…" The wind stopped. The sky itself held its breath. Below, the Coyote Wolf's expression shifted—confused at first, then amused. Coyote Wolf (mocking): "Oh no. Don't tell me this is the part where you cry, fallen king" Lupus's shoulders tensed. Lupus screamed: "I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GOD!!" The heavens split.
Lupus began to pulse with power as he screamed: "KISS YOU'RE ASS GOOD-BYE TYRANT! YOU WILL SUFFER THE SAME FATE AS MY FATHER! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!" A colossal burst of golden-black energy exploded from Lupus's body, arcing into the ground like chains being broken. Lightning danced downwardThe clouds swirled in a spiral of flame and gravity. Ungar shouted: "Lupus stop it!! You'll destroy the entire planet!!" Talus looked up in shock; he remembered doing the same thing several times in the past and the picture he was watching haunted him. The floor cracked beneath the Coyote Wolf's feet as he looked up, surprised—for the first time—with what was rising before him. Lupus floated, arms out, power burning his very skin, but he didn't care. Tears mixed with blood on his face. The Coyote Wolf just smirked. In a single motion he karate chopped the aura blast and sent it flying into the air. Lupus dodged to the side and the explosion went off in the distance.
Lupus looked up and then down at the Coyote Wolf and began to cry for the first time in his life he began to cry. "Are we done here? I have a new universe I need to create. All the life in this one must be expunged. So hurry up now I have an extermination I need to be getting too," said the Coyote Wolf. Lupus began to slowly float downwards in defeat. The Coyote Wolf smirked: "That's my cue." He leaped into the air knocking Lupus into the earth where he began to beat him mercilessly. Hermes began to shake with anger: "Let him goooo!!!!"
Hermes (shouting): "LET HIM GOOOOOO!!!!" The Coyote Wolf stopped: "Oh I forgot you brought some little friends." Hermes unsheathed her sword. "You're going to pay for what you've done you monster." The Coyote Wolf looked over, "SIR RHYME! Is that you?! AHAHAHAHAHA! Well well well, I've wanted to kill you for some time. Don't worry old friend, I'll get to you in a minute." The Coyote Wolf looked over more squinted his eyes he didn't know Ungar but noticed someone else: "TALUS! THE APOSTATE OF THE DEMON CLAN! Ahahahahaha! Oh what a marvelous day I get to kill an old friend, a rival and an apostate of my close comrades. How fortune has smiled upon me." The four heroes shook with anger. Hermes took out her sword, "SHUT UP!" She began to slash at the Coyote Wolf which actually caught him off guard he flipped backwards. "She's like those two heroes who killed me centuries ago, Heh, but it doesn't matter I still have the upperha…" She hit him like a comet. The Coyote Wolf skidded back, momentarily shocked. Dust filled the air. When it cleared—
Hermes stood between him and Lupus, breathing heavily. Coyote Wolf (grinning again): "Oh? The Shield-Bearer herself. I wondered when you'd grow a spine. Are you ready to die for your prince?" Ungar (sprinting in with his fists raised): "She's not dying alone!" Sir Rhyme (flipping in, sword glowing): "This wolf's words reek of old evil. Let's gut them out." Talus (already in midair): "No gods today, mutt. Just warriors.
The Coyote Wolf raised his claws, snarling. Coyote Wolf (ecstatic):
"Yes—yes! This is what I wanted. Show me your rebellion before I erase your names from time!" Hermes struck first, weaving patterns of light around him, trying to bind his limbs. Talus followed, blades turning into light-tendrils as he blurred through the sky. Ungar hurled his gravity hammer, and the impact shattered two dimensions stacked into one.
Sir Rhyme slashed with rhyming incantations, each strike echoing like divine verse. But Coyote Wolf moved like a phantom. He broke Hermes's sigils with a snap. He parried Talus with a claw. He caught Ungar's sword and slammed it into the earth, creating a canyon.
And when Rhyme tried to finish the verse— Coyote Wolf (interrupting, laughing): "Oh please—don't rap your own obituary." CRACK! Rhyme was hurled backward through a pillar.
Blood pooled in Lupus's mouth. The sky above him flickered with bursts of power. He heard Hermes scream again. He saw her bones—cracked. Her knees—buckling. His friends—being struck down, one by one. His heart shattered again. Lupus (weakly): "…Hermes…" The battle thundered above him. Lupus (eyes opening slightly): No… not again. Not like Father. Not like this.
Visions flashed through her mind— The dream-realm's first sunrise. The Architect's prophecy. Lupus smiling—before her and her friends had met him. Her knees buckled… but she didn't fall. She stood taller. Hermes (whispering): "No more deaths… not for your throne…" She gripped her blade and held it to the sky. The data-ribbons around her began to vibrate. Glyphs spiraled in reverse. The world pulsed with her heartbeat. Talus (barely conscious): "…Wait. What is she—?" The wind reversed. Coyote Wolf (stepping back): "…No. No. You're not—" The glyphs ignited. Hermes (roaring): "I am the Shield-Bearer of the Architect.
I AM THE BARRIER THAT DIVIDES DEATH FROM THE LIVING!
I AM HERMES—AND I. WILL. NOT. FALL!!" AWAKENING: HERMES ASCENDANT FORM – CODE AEGIS: SHATTERED DAWN The sky exploded. Wings of light burst from Hermes's back—no longer data-threads, but constellations given form. Her armor reformed, glowing with celestial fire. Her broken sword transformed into a blade of refracted timelines, glowing with impossible hues—The Dawnpiercer.