Post by Man on Apr 3, 2015 23:20:24 GMT -5
"The world is our home to share. We all come from the same roots, just as the branches of a tree always lead back to the trunk. We must act as one race, live as one. Our hearts must beat as one. Too few of the people today have the vision needed to realize our true potential, as one, undivided race."
The stars shine down on the meadows of Avalon. Above the sky, just five minutes away, there was a grandeur city. However, it was unreachable to those who could not fly. The city of Avalon was for the 50% of the population, and the rest were made to live in secluded villages and vacant homes spread thin on the vast land. It wasn't such a bad place to live; not as luxurious as the city, but the view was breathtaking. Down in the ground, one could admire the majestic city's silhouette when in contrast to the glowing rocks of their planets rings. The sky was cluttered with large asteroids and meteors that orbited around Lupin IV, remains of the previous moons which collided against each other and created the chain of debris that now surrounded their beloved and beautiful planet. Each asteroid was of different sizes and shapes, numerous little moons reflecting the light of their two suns which was now far below the horizon; paired with the starry sky, unhindered by the artificial light and the obnoxious noises adhered to the city, it was the best view anyone could have for miles to come. Yes, it wasn't so bad after all; that is, if only the influence of the city, it's rules and laws, if only they stayed within the city.
The City of Avalon was not just a city, but a large castle at its core, and the rest built around it. Like any other castle, there was a King living within its walls, a National Guard to protect the citizens and it's King over anything else. The King was a ruthless and cruel man, all of it hidden and masked by the entertainment and tourism that went on around the city. Drones patrol every corner in the light of justice and security, but they also descended from the city and into the rural lands to keep an eye on the lower-class citizens and make sure they kept true to their curfew. Yes, everyone had a curfew, the King ordered it and everyone who broke the law would suffer dire consequences. Some were lucky enough to go out with a warning, others were struck and disciplined, maybe even jailed -some disappeared, never to be seen again. The City of Avalon was only for those of wealth. The ones who could afford hovering vehicles and many -but not enough- who could fly using their helium bladders. The reason for this was simple. In the City of Avalon, there were no streets, no stairs, or sidewalks; there were only floating structures and buildings, they say it was meant to keep the land pure and clean, to maintain the beauty of their planet and not tarnish the royal red grass. Regardless, everyone knew it was purposely engineered to keep the minority out.
Distant eyes lingering in the darkness peer out through the window of their bedroom, gazing at the mega structure in the sky. He ducks just below the windowsill as a drone is spotted drifting by on its regular patrols; they were black, bird-like creatures -but with propulsion technology built on its wings and rear. The things were automated and large enough to carry a single person. It wasn't until the drone flew off that the man's head pops back up from the window, his gaze never leaving the great city. Another head pops below him. They were siblings, as evident from their similar features. They both had the same pale skin, pointy ears, and hair as red as the blades of grass at the doorstep of their homes; characteristics of a Konatsian. The larger one pointed at the City of Avalon with his index finger, speaking to the younger one as he did so.
"One day, Cayu... one day we will claim our rightful place!"
The man's green eyes were full of vengeance and anger. His younger brother looked up at him. He didn't really understand what he meant, and he didn't understand why his big brother's eyes looked the way they did, but he trusted in his brother and he felt safe tucked under his warmth. He gulped and nodded in return, still gazing up to his brother. That's when he witnessed a shooting star reflected off Plation's eyes. He gawked in amazement. It was not often that they would see a shooting star in the sky. To them, it was an omen of change, good or bad -it was unknown. However, Plation stared at the shooting star with determined and hardened eyes. They were given an opportunity of change, and he would make sure it was good -for them. Little did they know, that was not a harmless meteor just passing shy of their atmosphere, there was much more in store for these natives...
Landing in 30 minutes...
Model Zero had been waiting patiently for the past week and a half. Ivan and The Doctor were a few minutes behind his spacepod, probably dying with hunger. They had flooded their spacepods with only a handful of beans. The android could not possibly understand what it felt like to be famished and starved, but he was certain a few beans would not suffice as he had seen the great portions of food his two masters consumed on a daily basis. Regardless, they seemed perfectly fine. He knew this because the scientists had not stopped talking to him throughout the entire ride. Occasionally, the thought of disconnecting his radio crossed his mind, but he never brought himself into actually doing it. The scientists would speak of their current mission and what they would be doing as they approached the red and blue planet. Sometimes, they would discuss philosophical ideas, the origin of the universe, or just mindless chit chat. The moments Zero truly enjoyed was when the radio had been silent because they needed to catch up on some sleep. Because they could not determine day or night within the vacuum of space, their sleeping cycles had been irregular; in fact, they had slept a lot more than usual in the past week -thankfully.
Away from the murmurs of the radio, the android's mind drifted away as he glanced through the single window on his spacepod and witnessed the majestic planet in its entirety. He retraced his thoughts, calling back to the orders he had been given by his master. They had never explained why or what caused them to do this, but Zero had no place in questioning their orders. Ivan had been searching for a suitable planet, and it turned out he had set his eyes upon Lupin IV. They would be colonizing it. However, taking over an entire planet was not as simple as it seemed. Model Zero may be strong, but they alone could not control an entire civilization through sheer power and fear -at least, not without obtaining the support of their military forces. That was going to be the main part of their mission. Model Zero and the scientists would need to gain the trust of the majority, and then, whatever the minority thought would be meaningless. After-all, a planet without residents was just an empty rock floating amidst nothingness.
The only thing Ivan disclosed pertaining to his reason of colonizing a planet were superficial. One reason was to ensure their security and survival. Their ultimate goal was to commit genocide, by eradicating an entire race of people. If anything went wrong, they would be linked back to home. The Omega Collective was not as secure as one would believe, and the other planets were far too popular and well-known to prove of any refuge. They needed a place like Belegost and Mement Mor, planets used by the Church of One, where they could hide and organize themselves. Eventually, everyone would find their hiding place -that was inevitable and, in fact, part of the plan. All would be revealed in time, the scientist would say, so cautious was he that he hesitated speaking of it even with his subordinates. Only The Doctor truly knew of everything that went by Ivan's twisted mind, and Zero would only learn of it whenever his participation was needed.
His other reason was income. Although being sponsored by Lord Zex and King Arctic, the scientist realized he would never make as much money as they could if they were rulers of their own planet. Just think of the potential tax revenues they could charge the residents! He would say. The fines for breaking laws, the criminals released after paying a lump sum, the scientist's greed was boundless and ever growing, and Zero would be the vehicle through which it all occurred. All in the name of science, he claimed. With more money, they could fund more projects, more research, they could spend less time looking for sponsorship and writing grant letters to distinguished corporations and instead distribute those efforts to furthering their goals and making Model Zero the best android that had ever graced the universe.
In addition, Ivan was tired of being pushed around and ordered by the higher ups. He had been the dog since his early childhood and that trauma created a complexity within his personality. Perhaps, that alone, was the greatest leading factor that gave birth to his actions today. He wanted nothing more than tasting the fruit of a ruler and sitting where they sat and giving orders only they could.
Landing in 20 minutes...
The spacepods were growing ever closer to the planet. Soon enough they would start entering its atmosphere. Ivan had long since made an adequate analysis of its contents while he studied the planet through a telescope back at Alpha Prime. The planet was much like Earth in terms of its biodiversity, the amount of water encompassing its surface, the composition of the air. The planet was slightly larger and it rotates around its axis considerably slower, making the days and nights much longer than accustomed.
"Looks like we'll be arriving during the night," the scientist buzzed through the receiver. "Zero, the mission will commence once you have stepped foot into Lupin IV."
"Roger."
"Ivan, looks like we have a problem!" The Doctor announced nervously.
"What's that!?" the scientist responded.
"Looks like some sort of Space Station..."
"Look out!"
Nothing could have prepared them for this. Orbiting around the planet, there was a large, multifaceted space station about the size of a city. It was the shape of a ring within a larger one. Capture pods were ejected from the bottom of the station and headed towards them. Zero's spacepod rebounded off the edge of the containment device, escaping into the planet. On the other hand, Ivan and The Doctor were captured. The capture pods spread into a type of fishing net, bringing their craft to a screeching halt. Slowly, the pods were retracted into the space station. Model Zero's space pod continued its course to the planet's surface as it crossed the atmosphere. It was difficult to describe the sight, especially when his craft was spinning uncontrollably. He had been in space, and then a moment later, the space pod was struck with a cloud of air. Friction was produced by the atmosphere's particles and the protruding vehicle, creating heat, which enveloped the craft in a conical sheet of flames.
"Ivan!" the android called out through the receiver. "Doctor!" There was nothing he could do. The spacepod was set on its destination, it had no functions which could allow him to manually steer it back into space until he had landed.
"Zero!" The scientist answered back. His voice was rushed, "Your spacepod suffered irreparable damage in the clash. You can no longer use it to exit the planet's atmosphere. Focus on your mission! Use the residents to find a way back up and rescue us!"
After the last message, the android heard the sound of metallic hatches sliding open. He deducted that they had already entered the space station and were about to meet their captors. Promptly after, the transmission was cut off and there was nothing but static left in its place. "Master!" The android called out, but there was no response.
Ivan and The Doctor found themselves imprisoned. Flanked by humanoid drones, they had been handcuffed with high-tech bracers bound by energy. They were escorted through the main halls of the station. There was artificial gravity, about the same as the Omega Collective, allowing them to walk on the carpeted floors. The walls were covered in numerous windows that provided a clear view of the planet below them. The scientist studied his captors. They were not like Model Zero, they were colder and darker. Their entire body was composed of black plated armor. Under the armor, there was nothing but wires and tubes. Ivan knew this, because those tubes could be plainly seen as it formed the arms and legs of the machine. Its face had no features whatsoever, just a smooth black surface with no eyes, no mouth, and a concave to resemble the nose. The silence of the room was filled with the monotonous clattering of their metallic boots against the floor and then the main hatch opening as the prisoners were led into what appeared to be the control room.
There were many monitors and working stations spread around the room, and a single man awaited them at the center, sitting in what would be the captain's chair.
"Name yourselves," the being said with his deep voice. He was a large and muscular creature with purple, speckled skin. He had two protruding holes on the side of his head, probably his ears, and wore a padless chestplate with black leggings and additional plates protecting his thighs. Its design was similar to the old saiyan battle armor, perhaps a descendant from the old regime tracing back thousands of years ago. He was clearly a general, or some military official in charge of this facility.
"Certainly!" Ivan jumped up, "my name is Ivan and this here is my colleague. You can call him Doctor." The scientist was looking to get in the man's good side, and avoid any drastic and unnecessary measures. He smiled widely and warmly, but his energy had not penetrated the cold layer of contempt veiled around the man's massive aura. His smile faded as the man spoke.
"Why have you come?" he asked plainly. The man was brief and to the point. Ivan knew he couldn't play too many games with this man. Regardless, he was good at talking his way out of predicaments, and they couldn't just tell them the truth.
"We have come as tourists," he lied. "You see, we are planetary explorers and we travel the galaxy far and wide in search of exotic planets! This one just happened to be next on our list. Is this how you treat your visitors? Cause-"
"There are no visitors," the General interrupted. "Lupin IV has kept itself isolated from the outside. We don't want the likes of you mingling with our people."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You are in the Lupin Space Station," the man started, walking towards them with his hands locked behind his back. "Our job is specifically to stop people like you from entering our atmosphere. Some of them are lucky and are sent free, others are executed on the spot for trespassing our borders. However," he stops in front of the scientist and leans down, about an inch from Ivan's face with that same cold and callous expression, "it has been brought to my attention that one of your spacecrafts have escaped into our atmosphere. Tell me its destination and perhaps you'll escape this place with your limbs attached."
"I do not know what you are talking about," The scientist said. A drop of sweat rolled down his red skin as they locked their eyes into one another. Obviously, they wouldn't accept such a blatant lie, but it ensured their safety until Zero was located. There had been a full minute of complete silence and awkward staring. Ivan gulped hesitantly, unable to hide his nervousness from the eyes of their captor. The man grinned.
"Very well then," he stated, turning his back and heading towards the windows where he could view Lupin IV. His eyes surveyed its surface as if he could pin point the intruder's location simply by analyzing the planet. "We'll find your friend soon enough. The Gors will escort you to your cells."
The spacepod dropped from the sky like a meteor engulfed in flames. As it crash landed into the hard ground -as was accustomed- the land was leveled and pushed aside by the vehicle's abrupt impact with the soil. A powerful wind was cast on the area, brushing past the fields and swaying anything within its perimeter. The spacepod had created a crater in its wake, about ten feet wide and fifteen feet deep. The dust and debris slowly settled as the spacepod's temperature lowered. Zero had to remain until the temperature was a little cooler or his fingers could very well melt off his hands. The android continued to press on the buttons next to the armrest of his chair. He had learned how to control the vehicle and command it to take him where he wished to go, but the controls were fried and sparked back at him no matter what he tried. The spacepod would not fly. Zero would have to find another way to reach Ivan. Although he could probably survive in the void of space without any protection, he could not fly, therefore the sky was inaccessible for him.
Steam was released from the spacepod as the hatch unlocked itself. The android pushed it open and climbed out of the vehicle. He pulled himself out from the outer layer of the spacepod. It was still incredibly hot, too hot for a normal person to touch, but it was tolerable for the android. Looking up at the sky, he couldn't even see the space station anymore, and Ivan was much too far away for his scouter to detect. He was now alone in the planet, forced to figure things out by himself. How would he get back into space and save his master before it was too late? Such an idea was beyond him. Usually, Ivan would just give him directions and tell him what to do, all he had to worry about was performing to the satisfaction of their expectations. Now, the android had to develop his own plan of action. He took one last look at the spacepod, confirming that it had been too damaged to continue any kind of operation. There was a considerably large dent at its side; inevitable, as they had been traveling at incredible speeds.
Model Zero leaps up, landing at the mouth of the crater his spacepod had carved into the ground. The gravity was about the same as Alpha Prime, pulling him and his heavy weights towards the planet’s core. The area around the crater was devastated to about five feet from its edge, the rest of the panorama was overwhelmed by an endless field of red grass that spanned to the farthest horizon with little vacant homes sprinkled from one point to another. It was almost like a sea, red blades of grass glimmering in the light of the asteroids that formed a belt around the planet's atmosphere. In the shadow of the darkness, they almost seemed purple -or blue. Far away, to the farthest his eyes could see, there was a line of trees that marked the start of a forest.
Shiiiing!
Suddenly, Zero hears the sound of hissing metal. He turns towards its origin to find a man unsheathing his sword. Zero was surprised he had not detected him before; he was too focused on the scenery and where to go. The planet was a large place and he didn't know how much time he had before it was too late. He couldn't afford to aim blindly at the air and hope he arrived at the right location. "Who are you," Zero interrogated, breaking the silence that lingered in the air. The man was slightly taller than him. He had a shaved head with red hair lined down from his forehead to the back of his neck. He had pale -almost white skin, and wore a brown tunic with a green scarf and shoulder pads over a black skin-tight suit. He wielded a long sword with a single hand, it had been pointing towards the ground, but his posture said he was prepared to attack with it.
The man grimaced as if he had been insulted. "I'm asking the questions around here, outsider."
Model Zero lowered his gaze to observe him more closely. The man meant business, already throwing around orders. It seemed the android did not understand his position. He had arrived to an unknown planet as a visitor and asked the native to name themselves in their own home. His scouter beeped, calculating the individual's power-level. It was an impressive number; however, not as great as Zero's. The android straightened his stature so he was properly facing the man. The wind blew past them, golden and royal red hair fluttering and dancing with the blades of grass. The native smirked, seeing as the android seemed to comply with his demands. He needed to show him who was in charge around here.
"Tell me your name," he demanded. Zero responded promptly.
"My name is Android #0, code name Model Zero."
The man raised his eyebrow. Taking a closer look at his visitor, he recognized the mechanical, sturdy looking parts. He had assumed it was just armor, but the prospect of an android was well known in planet Lupin IV. On the other hand, this particular model was much more colorful and flashy than the darker Gors he was accustomed to. It was also a lot smaller and weaker looking. He began to wonder whether this was a new model sent from the space station, however, they had specific docking stations meant for arrivals from space to avoid tarnishing their beautiful and prized land. Although it seemed like a vast and free meadow, everything had its system and order, everything had a protocol and everyone was to follow it. In this planet, the skies had an owner, and his name was King. Furthermore, peering at the space craft inside the crater, its design was foreign enough to convince him this was another thing unaffiliated with his people.
"Outsiders are not welcome here, get in your craft and return from where you came," he spoke boldly and direct.
"That is not possible," the android replied. The man's bares his teeth. He thought the android was rebelling, but Zero was not done speaking. "My Spacepod has been damaged."
Assuming this 'spacepod' was the name of the thing's craft, the man takes another glance at the foreign object and recognizes the dent on its side; electric currents sparked from the dent structure, and steam rose from its etches. How unfortunate, he thought. Reality was, when an outsider enters their atmosphere, they usually never make it back out. The fact that he had offered the alien a chance to escape was in itself a privilege not many receive, but since his vehicle had been damaged beyond repair, his fate had already been decided. The man sighs. "I'll make this as quickly as possible," he said, although it wasn't as though androids could feel anything anyway. Since the alien was already going to be taken down by their superiors, he took it upon his own hands to end its insignificant life here and now. Model Zero recognized his stance and prepared for the incoming attack. That is, until the familiar sound of an approaching aircraft thrummed in the air.
"Damnit!" the bizarre man cursed. He readied his blade and charged at the android. "Run away!" he cried. Model Zero was confused by the man's contradictive actions. On one hand, he had demonstrated consideration for the android's well-being, the urgent demeanor by which he requested that the android escape from their location implied he was trying to help. On the other hand, he charged at the android with his sword prepped and ready to decapitate him. Regardless, looking across the vast meadow, there wasn't much to hide under in case the man had not noticed. For miles there was nothing but an endless field of red grass and distant trees scattered around just as much as there were houses. Model Zero ducked, evading the man's initial thrust of the blade. His own saber was ready to counter attack, his eyes slanted on the target, all he needed was a swift slash and the man's guts would spill over the grass, ending the fight just as soon as it had begun.
However, his scouter warned him of an incoming attack approaching from a third party. Both, his eyes and the man attacking him shot to the side where the aircraft had been approaching and jumped away from each other. Where they stood only milliseconds ago, twin beams of ring-like waves ravaged the land and continued up into the crater. Zero's spacepod exploded in a blithering mess and shrapnel littered the sky. If there had been a miniscule chance of repairing the hunk of metal, it had been promptly washed away by the duel beams. Zero's feet dragged against the dirt, his arms crossed overhead to block out the debris flying his way. The peculiar man was getting started again, preparing to charge the android when the aircraft finally arrived and cast a powerful gust the man was unable to penetrate. Zero observed the craft. It was a large black machine with no features and two winged propulsion mechanisms protruding from either side of its body. The man, whom had been standing at the other end, waved at the android while screaming out words which were drowned out by the muffled sound of the craft's props. Zero couldn't make out his words, though he felt like the man was telling him to run away.
It was too late anyway. The floating device approached him and Zero classified it as an oppressive device. Feeling threatened, he was urged to take out his pistol and shoot at the winged craft. From his pistol a small bullet composed of concentrated energy would expulse from its muzzle. It was known to pierce through almost any object and proved to be a deadly weapon against his foes. Unfortunately, this aircraft seemed to be the exception to the rule. His energy bullet was promptly deflected by the hard metal that shielded its frame. Whatever the material was, it was stronger than anything he had experienced if it could stop his attack so matter-of-factly. His scouter couldn't detect a power-level on the machine, probably because it could not harness energy the way he could. It was evident that there was no living life-form manning the craft, so it must be some sort of drone programmed to do as its master ordered. Quite similar to Model Zero himself, he thought. Zero's eyes slit as he prepared to pull the trigger once more, convinced the first was just a fluke. In spite of his efforts, he soon felt his feet lift off the ground as his body was soon after captive to the machine. An intangible force bound his body to the bottom of the aircraft, unable to move his limbs, all he could do was watch the ground shrink where that strange man continued to gaze at him. From there, the aircraft flew off, Zero taken with it as its prisoner.
…
The sun starts to rise in the horizon as the aircraft that held Zero captive approached a floating city built around a large black castle. Below, there were many villages and vacant homes with people staring from afar. They were segregated, subject to glimpse at the greatness that was their capital city. The android was taken straight to its core as the double doors slammed open and the vehicle dropped him inside. It appeared he was in some kind of auditorium. The floors were polished regularly and there had been multiple pillars made of marble-like material scattered all around. He was on the only outstanding hallway and at the end he could see a throne and a figure sitting over it. Something nudged him from behind. Foot soldiers poking the small of his back with the ends of spearheads. Their face were completely covered in protective gear, their voice disguised to seem computerized by the helmet as they ordered him to walk.
“Move it! The King is waiting!” he nudged at the android again.
Model Zero wouldn’t have had a problem tearing them to shreds. They were weak and harmless. However, he had been willingly brought to the heart of this civilization’s hierarchy and their leader was waiting for him at the end of the checkered hall. Before killing them all, he needed to find out how he was going to rescue Ivan and whether or not there was anyone left to rescue at all. Zero nodded, feigning obedience and the smug foot soldier smirked as the machine walked without any protest. They were either incredibly foolish or arrogant beyond all means. Here they dropped an unidentified being right in front of their beloved King with nothing but a few soldiers poking at his back. They hadn’t removed his weapons and they hadn’t truly restrained him at all. What was stopping him from downright obliterating the entire establishment? Even more so, when the android got a glance of their ‘king’.
“Name yourself!” the pathetic creature demanded from the comfort of his throne. Model Zero couldn’t help but smirk at his appearance. Their king was nothing but a green-skinned wrinkled chipmunk about the size of Zero’s leg. The green creature frowned and slammed his small fists against the armchair of his throne. It seemed he was not happy about the android’s reaction. Zero was sure he was not the first to judge from the thing’s appearance. “What’s so amusing, android!?” He growled. “I am King Helios and you are an intruder who has trespassed into my planet without any clearance! You’re lucky you haven’t been dismantled, I demand your name!”
Zero fringed his eyebrows. Reading King Helio’s power-level, he had met earthlings stronger than him. It would only take a single shot of his gun to steal the life from the creature’s breath, but that would not help him as of yet. He needed to play along, and so he responded, “My name is Model Zero. You have captured my master, I would like for you to release him.”
Helios smirked, pleased to see the android abide by his rules. His arms relax beside him on the chair and he speaks. “You have no right to ask me for any favors, Android. However, I sense great power within you. If you’d like for me to release your beloved master, hehehe…” the king chuckled to himself as he attempted to regain composure over himself. “Then you must surrender before me. I will become your new master and you shall do everything I ask of you.” The foot soldiers behind him nudged his back again, pressuring the android to kneel before Helios and acknowledge him as king. Another foot soldier, dressed quite similarly as the last, walked into the room with some sort of helmet. Helios spoke again, “you will remove your helmet and put this one in its place,” he said. It was simple and black with a white, stylized M on its center. Zero thought he could just pretend to accept his rules, have him release Ivan, and then stab him in the back; however, removing his helmet proved to be a problem.
“Unfortunately, that is not possible,” Zero replied. His words struck the green king with such sharpness his nostrils were flaring. His wrinkled nose exalted his petrifying eyes and capitalized the flames surging in his vains. “What did you say!?” the King said, his weak and wimpy voice became deep and boomed throughout the auditorium.
“My helmet is attached to my head, I cannot remove it,” Zero explained. Regardless, the green creature did not seem very receptive. “Oh, I’m afraid that will not due,” Helios stated. His small body lifted off the chair and he floated across, landing five feet away from the android. “Let me help you remove it then,” he said, raising his hands in the air. His eyes began to glow green and the foot soldiers fled from the auditorium. Helios began to chant in an ancient tongue the android could not comprehend and the entire castle began to shake. It wasn’t an earthquake, for they had been suspended thousands of miles above the land. It was the result of the King’s magical incantations. Between him and Zero, a line of green flames were drawn from the air and carved a circle on the polished floor.
Model Zero took a step back as the entire room was darkened and the giant doors behind them were slammed shut with no place to escape. Inexplicable winds rushed throughout the pillars, his golden hair flaunting frantically as it did, and the creature’s voice seemed to penetrate the android’s mind. From within the circle, a mass of dark light formed from its center and morphed into a figure easily three times Zero’s size. Consolidating into a single, comprehensible form, the being of dark light solidified into a monstrous four-legged creature with horns protruding from his head. He had a brown-red hide and a thin tail with fur at its tip. On his forehead, there was that same stylized M emblazoned. The beast stood on his hind legs and roared at the roof, shaking the entire castle. Helios grinned and his laughter flooded the halls and reverberated throughout the pillars as he floats back to the comfort of his throne.
“Now,” he started, considerably calmer. “Give me a nice show. Goliath, dispose of our little outsider.”
The beast roared once more and his eyes set on the android. Zero braced himself for the coming battle and unsheathed his saber. The green blade buzzed to life in seconds, just as Goliath charged at him with its horns. The android barely intercepted him, blocking the thing’s horns with his saber. Despite the android’s efforts, he was promptly tossed aside with a flick of its neck, deflecting the android’s attempt to stop Goliath’s charge and instead sent airborne. Helios’ laughter continued to span the auditorium’s corridors. Zero shifted his body in the air as he began to fall and landed on his feet, ready for the ox-beast’s next attack. His heavy weights weren’t making it any easier either, but he did not have time to remove them as the beast was already on the move.
Model Zero unclipped his pistol with whip-like reflexes and aimed it at the beast’s core. He shot multiple energy bullets without remorse, however, they were merely deflected as Goliath charged again. The beast creature lunged forward with the strength of its hooves, creating a sheet of powerful winds breaking at his wake and neutralizing the android’s energy bullets. He stopped about a feet away from the android and stomped his hooves on the ground in an effort to crush the android. Zero backed away from him just as the hooves came rushing down. The castle shook once more and the structure of the ground began to crack around its feet. Lifting its hoof from the hole it had punctured on the floor, debris rolled down. Zero glanced at King Helios; he seemed perfectly fine with the collateral damage being inflicted on his home. Who knew how many times this beast had been summoned to do Helios’ bidding on these same halls.
One thing was for certain, this seemingly mindless beast was under the King’s control. Helios may be small and fragile, but he made up for that with his powerful magic. He is able to summon powerful creatures that would help distance himself from danger. If Zero could get to Helios and have his head on a pike, then his control over the beast would surely subside and the battle would end. Without another moment’s notice, the android raised his pistol once more and shifted its aim towards the green creature sitting so nonchalantly at his throne. However, Goliath was quick to intercept the bullet once more. The beast was much faster than Zero gave credit for. He was able to change his course and block the bullet despite his great size. In spite of this, there was no way he could outmatch the android in speed. Zero’s repositioned his body’s mass and propelled himself forward with saber in hand.
Rushing below the ox-beast as he raised his hooves for another strike at the ground, the android’s crystal, embedded on his forehead, gleamed a teal hue that resonated with his eyes. Zero had ascended into his override state, his nimble body disappearing before Goliath’s eyes before he even had the chance to stomp. Helios’ eyes widened. He barely had the chance to stand before the android was upon him with saber arched and ready to thrust through his stomach. It felt like cutting through butter, no resistance in the slightest as his sword pierced the fragile creature without any opposition whatsoever. It was too easy, he thought. Too easy indeed, as the creature’s image vanished and he appeared floating behind Zero.
“Nice try, Android.” He teased. Helios placed his hand on Zero’s back and enchanted him with some sort of marking. “That power of yours is really something. It’s too dangerous to let you keep around,” he said. Model Zero instantly turned to have another whack at him, but his sword sliced through empty air once again. If only he could touch the green thing, it would all be over. Then, all of sudden, he felt his power drain from his body. Zero dropped to one knee just past the throne. He was back in his base form.
“What have you done?” the android demanded. He attempted to recall his strength, but no matter how much he tried, nothing was happening. His power had been stunted to its minimal capacity.
“I’ve cursed you,” Helios responded. “As long as I live, you will never experience the full extent of your power ever again! That is the cost of defying me. You should have surrendered while you had the chance, but I no longer have any use for a worthless machine that won’t do as I ask.”
“Is that all?” Zero responded.
“What!?” Helios frowned.
“If all I have to do to lift this curse is kill you, then that is what I shall do.” The android stood from the ground and dashed forward. Helios disappeared again and Goliath took advantage of the distraction, slamming his head against the airborne android. Zero flinched, his body rummaging through the endless pillars as they fell apart and collapsed. The castle was mysteriously unaffected by the outcome. It was evident that the entire place was enchanted with some kind of powerful magic.
“My, how confident,” Helios said. “That is, assuming you can defeat me. You’d have to get through my servant first… are you alive?”
BOOM!
Through the rubble that buried the android, a large beam of incandescent yellow energy emerged and disintegrated the debris into ash. It was Zero’s Hell’s Flash burrowing through the corridor and headed straight for the green creature sitting on its throne. The ox-beast Goliath rushed to intercept the blast once again, ramming its skull against the brunt of the beam. His head was scorched with steam rising from the ensemble of his forehead, but he was still in perfect fighting condition. The android almost wondered what a fight between it and Wrath would look like. Then, red flamed burst through the beast’s nostrils and an intense red light began to leak from the creaks of his muzzle. Opening its mouth wide open, effulgent phosphorescent flames rushed out and engulfed the android in one fell swoop. The flames continued onward without remorse, filling the empty darkness of the corridors between pillars and drilling a hole through the castle’s walls, from which Zero was forced out of.
The android had crossed his arms overhead in an attempt to reduce the damage, but he had been ultimately defeated by the ox-beast’s overwhelming power and so he now fell off the floating city, falling to his doom.
“Good job, Goliath,” Helios praised, watching from the hole on his wall as the android descended in black smoke. “Nobody can survive a fall from this high. Too bad, I really liked him…”
…
“It’s alive!”
“Stay away!”
Slowly, Zero opens his eyes to the view of a giant floating structure overhead and a mob of citizens gathered to prospect him. The scouter on his left eye spark. The heat of that beast’s attack damaged it, but it still functioned enough to let him know everyone around him was far weaker than him. “What’s going on?” One authoritative voice demanded from within as the crowd moved aside and single man stood amongst them. His skin and hair were as pale as snow. He had scars across his face, which brought attention to the rapier hanging around his waist. He had an aura about him, obviously, the leader of the village. His yellow, dark eyes told Zero he was not friendly, and the way the villagers moved aside in fear enunciated that hypothesis. What was more alarming was the M emblazoned on his forehead in black ink. Looking to either side, he spot his pistol to the left and the handle of his saber –now deactivated- lying to his right. He initially reached for his gun, but the elf anticipated his move from the moment Zero glanced at the weapons. Lunging forward, he kicked the pistol away from the android’s reach. Zero turned without wasting another moment and reached for his handle.
The elf’s eyes widened as he learned that the odd device was actually a saber. As Model Zero stood up and raised his saber, the elf released his rapier and parried his initial thrust. Everyone around them gasped and stepped aside further to allow them enough room. The elf was silent and cautious, getting a feel for the intruder’s abilities. He was no fool. Zero could tell he had years of experience in these sort of situations. His muscular body testified to that if nothing else would. Then, suddenly, the android felt a sporadic sensation as if his ki were drained. He stumbled, an unfamiliar experience as he had never in his live simply lost his balance in battle. The elf’s eyes sparked with a chance he would not miss and charged at the android, ripping the saber from Zero’s hands. The handle landed safely out of reach, and Zero was now disarmed with the end of the elf’s rapier leveled between his eyes. The elf wrinkles his nose as if he could smell the stench of magic radiating from the android’s body.
“It appears you have been cursed,” he says. His voice was crude, and the expression on his face twitched with the desire to kill. “Whatever it is you have done, the warlock intended for your death.” His sword maintained in its position, the elf glances up towards the floating castle and then back at the hole in which Zero’s body was found. “How did you survive a fall from that height?” he asked, although he wasn’t really expecting an answer. “No matter,” he stated, sheathing his rapier. “I advise you leave here. Outsiders are not welcomed and you’re no exception. If Helios thinks you’re dead, I think it is best to keep it that way.” The elf turns his back and walks away, “you’ve been warned…” With a wave of his hands, guards move in to confiscate his saber and gun. “Those don’t belong to you,” Zero responded, slowly aiming his left arm at the pale creature. It appeared his weights were much more hindering than before. His hand collapses into the wrist, revealing a hidden cannon; soon after, a beam of incandescent energy bursts forth to decimate everything and anything in its path. The elfish man glances back. Veins bulge as boiling blood rises with his short temper.
“You idiot!” The man barks at the humanoid alien, extending his open palm towards the blast unleashed by Zero’s wrist. Immediately, translucent circles with intrinsic patterns manifests before him, seemingly stopping the wave of energy in its tracks. An instant later, another –similar- circle appears overhead. Zero had a fleeting glance of the structure before it burst forth, engulfing the android with his own attack. Zero lay on the bottom of a crater with steam rising from the etches of his armor, never before had he been so thoroughly outmatched except when faced against his masters. No… That was a lie. The android had been defeated many times. Not only by Wrath, Arctic, and Vespasian, but by that blue haired saiyan and the new ruler of Vegeta. The pale man descends upon him, landing the soles of his feet on both of Zero’s arms so he could not lift them from the ground. He stared down at the intruder with ferocious eyes full of contempt. No words would be spared for the foolish android as he raised his fist in the air and knocked him out with a single stroke. Darkness…
The scientist shivered, trapped in the cold cell with his colleague. They had been kept alive until orders arrived from below. Zero was now in their atmosphere, however he had no way of getting to them. Regardless, Ivan had faith that his creation would find a way to them. It was not so much faith in the android, but faith in his own abilities –having manufactured the thing, it would be insulting to him to think that his android could not perform simple tasks such as a rescue mission. Then, the man of purple skin approached their cells, baring a wide grin from ear to ear. “I’ve received news from the King. It appears your android has been defeated,” he said, thrilled by the expression of disdain in their captive’s face. Moments later, his happy-go-lucky mood shifted to a stern and serious gaze. His unwavering eyes were penetrating, Ivan knew he was no clown. “You have to choices. Become our slave, or die.”
Slowly, Model Zero’s consciousness restores and the android finds himself lying in the middle of a dirt road next to nowhere. The floating castle was still visible, though it was considerably far. Prospecting his body, the android discovers a metallic apparatus attached to his left arm. Mere visual observation indicated he would not be able to remove it with his limited power. Furthermore, his saber and pistol were missing, leaving him in a dire situation. Zero now found himself in a predicament. Sitting up straight, he was trapped in thought. He needed to save Ivan, but before he could save Ivan he needed his weapons, but before he could retrieve his weapons he would need the curse lifted. He was in a land he knew nothing about, stranded. He could travel towards the big floating city, but he would simply be defeated again. Standing up, he concludes, he had no leads, nothing he could act upon except the fact that he was in a really bad predicament. The only thing that made sense was to gather information. If he could learn of his curse and find the cure, he could return to that village and regain possession of his weapons. If he could do that, he could face the King and save Ivan.
Scanning the landscape around him, his scouter beeps for nearby life-forms in multitudes. He needed another village with many inhabitants from which he could probe. Eventually, his gaze sets on a possible candidate to start his inspection and the android ventures towards it. Although his power-level had been gravely reduced, Zero’s leg strength was still formidable. With a single impulse, he was able to propel himself through long distances at a time despite the heavy weights which impeded him from using his full strength. It was by Ivan’s explicit orders that Zero must never remove them unless his life was threatened. Thinking back, it might have been logical to remove them during his encounters, but it would not have made any difference anyway. His hair flowed in the wind and skin basked in the sun light. The grass that spanned for miles was royal red as the armor on his arms and legs. The wind broke with every leap he took. Zero now knew what he had to do and he would not stop until the task was done and he was reunited with Ivan and The Doctor.
Now in the village, the android observed the inhabitants. He still could not understand why the elf had allowed him to live, or why he was unable to fight him in the first place. Magic was a concept he was unfamiliar with. Whatever this curse was, he needed to get rid of it as soon as possible. Walking into what appeared as a market, he studied their demographics. The populace were mostly elfish in appearance; long pointy ears were their most characteristic property, however, they appeared significantly humanoid. The women wore two-piece clothing to cover the minimum, but that was only the majority. Their clothing were as diverse as the men who wore full-body armor and tunics, armed with various weapons. They were a warrior’s race, living off the land and sea. Then again, on his way to the village, the android could see nothing but an endless expanse of land. They probably got their water from a nearby well or something. In an instant, the android determined what a normal day in their shoes would look like. Hunting for food and distributing them fairly to the inhabitants, as well as fighting off threats to their village were among their most prominent activities.
The inhabitants engaged in commerce, selling and buying goods with their planet’s currency. In the center of it an unidentified life-form stood over a crate and preached while the general populace ignored her and moved along with their daily lives. It appeared their kingdom was suppressed by another race, the Biseijin, which Zero thought to be the creature he encountered earlier. The fact that she could stand before all these people and speak what might be considered blasphemy without being executed demonstrated freedom of speech –then again, maybe it wasn’t freedom, if not helplessness. Perhaps their people were so beaten to the ground after centuries that it didn’t even matter. Regardless, none of this was of interest to the android. He yearned to leave for his master’s aid, but he couldn’t save Ivan without first lifting the curse infringed upon him; meaning he would have to rely on these people to show him the way. “Creature, tell me about the Bisejin,” he demanded to the woman. She looked down at him with a raised eyebrow, but before she could answer, a boy emerged from behind and bumped into the woman. He stumbled, but kept running without any regard for the woman. “Hey,” she yelped, but was soon cut off by the voices of men yelling from afar.
“Catch him! Theif!” they said as the boy blended into the crowd. It only took a few volunteering civilians to stop the boy in his tracks. Entrapped by the mob, the authorities soon caught up, battle axes in their hands as they approached the child. Zero, along with other bystanders joined the crowd to watch the execution. Interesting, he thought. To think they would raise arms against the young. In most cultures, the youthful little kids were a sign of hope and prosperity. Children were the future leaders of any civilization and so they were usually protected –along with the women. The boy coward in fear with hands raised up in the air, his eyes closed and a small frame encroached on the ground shivering. There was no mercy, they were truly going to kill him. Losing interest, Zero turned, preparing to investigate other parts of the establishment when his scouter detected a fast approaching individual.
“Stay back!” a man’s voice growled. A powerful gust of wind was cast around the child to act as a shield against the impending axe wielder. The oppressive forces were begrudgingly compelled to step back. Model Zero turned again, witnessing the battle that would unfold. Between the guards and the child, there was a single elfish man draped in a brown tunic and hair as red as the blades of grass that characterized their land. He possessed a sword, which was extended out straight to the side and his other hand pressed on the ground to support his weight. Zero instantly recognized him. He was the first person he had come into contact after arriving to the planet. There was no telling where he had come from, but given from his stance, it appeared as though he had landed from the above. The violent wind that had now dissipated was, perhaps, another one of those spells these peoples were so accustomed to. The natural laws of this land were quite different from those of Alpha Prime.
“Fool! You would defy the royal throne?” one of the guardsmen protested, swinging his axe furiously at the wing. They were not elfish like the majority of the populace, they were an entirely different species, which probably served to distance them further from the general populace. That is, despite the monarchy and obvious discrimination. “He’s just a child!” the man roared. The guardsmen laughed. “So he’s allowed to steal and defy our almighty King? I think not. He will be punished.”
The elfish man glances back at the child, “Cayu,” he whispers, “give me what you took.” Reluctantly, the child nods and reveals a pendant which was hidden in his clothing. The man gawks as the boy hands him the pendant and he cringes as though under extreme agony. He looks at the object with longing eyes, suddenly, hesitant about his actions. Gritting his teeth, he wrenches away the emotions brought about by the pendant and throws it at the guardsmen. One of them catches it with apathy and tosses at the guy beside him. “There, you have what you wanted, now leave us alone,” the elfish man requested. The man shook his head disapprovingly. “That won’t do, you see, this doesn’t change the fact that that boy has insulted the royal throne with his impudence. Not to mention, you have also denied our demands after we asked you to step aside.” The other men smirk and chuckle. “That’s right, I’m afraid you’ll both have to pay. There are a lot of eyes in the audience and letting you go would set a bad example. It would make them think that it is okay to defy and ridicule the royal throne.”
The elfish man grimaced, his eyes fierce and intense, he shouts. “Pigs! You don’t care about the royal throne, you just want an excuse to slaughter us! You’re nothing but cowards!” He yelled. The guardsmen, whom were chuckling and laughing became serious, “what did you say?” the man asked, baring his axe as he approached the man and child. The elfish man stood and yelled at the audience. “It’s been too long!” he said, “Too long have we been enslaved and threatened by our oppressors. They would even take the life of a child! How much longer will you stand and watch at the sidelines while they do as they please! When will the final straw be the last? Rebel! Raise your torches! No longer shall we live in fear! If we stand united we can surely defeat them, all you have to do is make a choice! So please! I beg of you! Don’t let them win again! No more!”
Regardless, his passionate words fell on deaf ears. The civilians were too shaken and helpless to do anything. Even the woman who had been preaching moments ago was stilled by the cold shrill of fear overtaking her body. The guardsmen grinned as he observed the beaten souls cower in remain silent, “hehehe, that’s enough from you,” the man stated, lifting his axe in the air for the final blow. The elfish man closed his eyes shut. He was skilled, but even he knew that he alone stood no chance against the might of their oppressors. Is this how it will all end? He thought to himself, the child he called Cayu holding onto the fabric of his pants, burying his little face. “Make it stop!” the boy whimpered to the older man. Alas, there was nothing he could do… “You’re no different,” he whispered to himself. The guardsmen stopped for a moment, listening to the elfish man’s last words, though they were not directed to him but the audience. “If you live on the sidelines and watch without doing anything about it, then you’re just as bad and putrid as the evil committing such an act…”
“Hmph,” The guardsmen smirks. The elfish man would no longer resist. He had accepted his fate and now awaited for the royal throne’s judgment to fall upon them. “Let this be a lesson to all of you!” the man declares towards the general public. “If you defy the King, then may your soul rest in hell. With this axe, I strike judgment upon thee!”
He swings his axe down. Suddenly, a violent barrier forms between him and the victims. The elfish man, sensing the shift in air grabs the child and moves away from the destructive force. The guardsmen was not so agile however. His axe was completely destroyed and the red barrier of energy threw him back, landing on his backside. From the debris, standing above a newly crafted indentation, Model Zero stood to defend the elfish man and boy. Normally, the android would not have acted. He needn’t trouble himself with the affairs of others, but due to his dire circumstances, he needed to make allies. The elfish man, gawked at the humanoid clad in red armor. “It’s you!” he uttered. Zero glanced back and offered a single word before turning his attention back to the royal guards. “Run.”
With that, he raised his left arm and aimed at them. It was a little heavier due to the contraption the other village forced on him, so he supports it with his free hand to stabilize. Once again, he intended to unleash Hell’s Flash to vanquish his foes. “Target secured,” he said promptly after expecting his attack to activate, however he discovered an imperfection. His hand had not retracted into his wrist. He could not access the cannon within him. Everyone was still, expecting something to occur, even the guards were struck with a fleeting sense of fear before they began to realize that the android was nothing but a fluke. Unable to comprehend, Zero was also paralyzed as his mind raced with infinite possibilities and questions. “What are you doing?” the elfish man said, grabbing onto the android’s shoulder and dragging him away. “Let’s go!”
They took advantage of the confusion Zero had caused among them and made a run for it, pushing through the crowd. The guardsmen soon after snapped out of it and regained their senses. “Go after them!” one of them said. However, by the time they turned the corner, they had already vanished…
The three stopped in a dark alley to catch their breaths, of course, Zero stopped because they were no longer yanking him like a doll. “You’re alive!” the man exclaimed. The android stepped back and reached for his saber, but then remembered he didn’t have them. “Calm down, I mean you no harm,” the man said. “I want to thank you. If it weren’t for you, Cayu and I…”
Model Zero lowered his guard slightly. He had saved them after-all; although, the man didn’t realize it, but he saved the android promptly after the fact. Zero had not realized he had lost function of so many of his abilities. First the curse mark weakened him to excruciatingly painful levels, and now he had this weird contraption on his arm which impeded access to the wrist cannon. It made sense. If he were in their shoes, he wouldn’t allow such a dangerous being like himself to run freely without restrictions. Then again, he wouldn’t have allowed them to live in the first place. Now, he wondered just how many of his abilities had been tampered with. For the time being, he would focus on the matter at hand. “Why did you attack me?” Zero interrogated. He may have saved the man, but whether they could be allies depended on his answer.
“What?” the man said, seemingly perplexed by the question, but then his memory refreshed and he understood. “I thought you were a Gor…” Zero remained silent, evidently, he did not understand what the man was saying and expected clarification. The elfish man rest his back on the wall of the building and slid down to the ground with a lowered gaze as if remembering a distant past. The boy beside him grabbed on to his sleeves worriedly as the man spoke. “They came from the sky so suddenly, like you did. That’s why… I thought you might have been one of them. They’re these black, heartless machines made of nothing but wire and tubes. The darkness that succeeds them is capitalized by their faceless visage. But then, when one of the Ravens approached us I realized I was wrong…” The elfish man looks up, “which reminds me, how did you survive?”
“I fell off the castle,” Zero stated bluntly as if it were a normal thing. The man stared at him blankly before standing back up. “Anyway, I can’t express how thankful I am for you saving us. Is there anything we could do to repay you?”
“My strength. Help me recover it,” he said. He didn’t want to mention too much. As long as the elf could help him regain his former strength, Zero would be able to do the rest on his own. The elfish man looked him over, “Hmm, I see, I can smell the stench of magic residing within you. It seems you have been cursed…”
“How do I remove it?” Zero inquired.
The man lowered his chin into his hands as if in thought and looked towards the ground. “It won’t be easy…” he said, “you would have to travel all the way to Mount Hielo, a mountain range to the far north, but first you have to pass through the Great Wall, past Whitewater. Mount Hielo is home to the Moujuujin, large and powerful beasts. You might want to think twice before going there.” He glanced at Zero, who appeared unfazed by the news. The android was prepared for any opposition that may get in his way as his master’s life depended on the success of his mission. At last, the man was subdued and conceded. “Alright, I’ll accompany you until the curse is lifted. That’s the least we can do for our lives.” He grinned. “By the way, we never properly introduced ourselves. My name is Plation and this is my younger brother Cayu,” he said, motioning towards the little boy that almost had them killed. “Hi mister!” Cayu said, “It’s nice to meet you!” The child waved with a wide smile. He must have been perhaps six or seven years old. He had his own head of red hair like the older sibling and somewhat pointy ears. He extended his hand to shake Zero’s. The android decided to humor the child’s request and granted him his hand, although he did not fully close it in fear of breaking the fragile creature’s limb. Cayu was ecstatic that Zero shook his hand.
“What was your name again? Z-zz…ze…” “-Zero,” the android corrected. “Alright, Zero! Well, let’s get started, we have a long journey ahead of us!” The android nodded. Before long, the group snuck their way out of the village. Plation wanted to wait until things had cooled down, but Zero insisted he could not wait much longer, so they risked getting spotted and escaped from the village. They were now miles away, following the dirt road leading east. To reach Mount Hielo, first they needed to pass through Whitewater, which was due in their direction. In their traverse they had passed by numerous villages which were scattered throughout the massive grasslands known as Avalon. Cayu approached Zero from behind, curiously gazing at the black contraption on his left arm; even he could tell that it was not part of the android’s suit of armor.
“Hey, mister,” he said. Model Zero’s eyes remain slanted towards their destination, though he offers the child a soft hum to indicate he was listening. “What’s that thing on your arm?” he wonders innocently. Zero looks at his arm, reminding himself that the contraption was there. “I don’t know,” he stated simply. “It was there when I awoke. It limits my abilities…”
“Hmm, allow me to take a look,” Plation requested. The android stopped and extended his left arm so the man could prospect it. He definitely didn’t know what to do with it, maybe the elfish man could shed some light on the matter, he thought. Plation observes the apparatus with intense concentration. It appeared he actually knew something until he raised his hands in the air, “Nope, I haven’t a clue,” he declared hopelessly. Cayu grinned, scratching his head. The elfish man seemed so serious during their first encounter, but now he appeared much more relaxed. Zero questioned whether he made the right choice to align with him. Plation was much friendlier than anticipated. “Now, you said ‘when you awoke’, what happened?” he inquired. Zero continued to walk as he was beginning to get anxious with their lack of progress.
“When I fell off the floating castle, I landed in a village similar to yours. There was a pale creature with mysterious powers. He outmatched me,” Zero confessed. “He looked a lot like you…”
Plation’s eyes lightened up as there was only one person he could have been talking about. Suddenly, the image of the fearsome elf entered his mind. A pale-skinned elf with a scar across his face and a stylized ‘M’ emblazoned on his forehead. He reeked with power that seemed to excrete from his pores as vapor. He was also known for the long silver hair and golden trinket that adorned his head. Finally, making its way to Plation’s lips, the elf’s name was uttered, “Zalam’gar…” he said softly. “He’s probably the bravest and most passionate person I’ve known. It might not look like it, but he’s a great man. He allowed himself to fall under the Biseijin’s spell in order to protect our people,” he points to his forehead, “remember that symbol on his forehead?” “I saw that symbol on some beast named Goliath as well,” Zero explained. “You battled Goliath?” he exclaimed with astonishment, “its amazing that you’re still alive…”
Zero looked back at the man and murmured to himself, “Alive, huh?”
“Anyway, that symbol on their forehead is the product of a powerful binding spell cast by the Biseijin. It finds the faintest bit of darkness within a person’s heart, manipulates and magnifies it. The subject becomes powerful beyond all measure, but at the cost of their own free will. Many soldiers become the Biseijin’s unconditional slave and forced to do their bidding. However, Zalam’gar… despite submitting himself to their spell, he was able to retain his autonomy. With his new found power, he was able to fight off the Biseijin and make them back off from their village. They made an agreement. Their village would remain untouched by our tyrannical oppressors as long as he followed their orders. Despite his impressive strength, even Zalam’gar realized he didn’t stand a chance, so he accepted their terms. Every day, he fights that innate urge to kill and massacre the populace, all because of the curse he has welcomed into his being…”
Cayu stared at his brother, mesmerized by the candid tragedy that was Zalam’gar. “Poor Zal…” he said. Plation nodded. “That’s why I can’t stand by and do nothing anymore. I have to take down Helios and his lackeys no matter the cost. Zalam’gar is brave, but he’s a fool. Soon enough, the Biseijin will sever their pact and run them over. This will not end, our suffering will never end until they are driven out of this land, and for that reason… Zero…” Plation steps in front of the android, forcing him to stop. “I’m sorry to ask this of you, but when we remove the curse you’ve been burdened with, would you lend me your power? Would you help us defeat Helios?” The man looked into the android’s eyes with desperation. Cayu gazed up, hopeful that the android would concede. Zero lowers his gaze, looking away from the two. There was something a strangeness about the air which he could not fathom, but it pounded against his chest. It was overwhelming. The android looked up, matching his gaze, but before he could respond…
“Watch out!” the android exclaimed, pushing Plation aside as an arrow whizzed past them. He barely evaded it, his cheek slit slightly by the head, red liquid trickling down his face. Plation unsheath’s his sword, preparing to face their antagonists. “Cayu, get behind Zero!” he ordered, looking back at the android, “don’t worry, I know you can’t fight in your condition. Leave it all to me!” he assured, turning to face them as another arrow was soaring towards his head. Swinging his sword up, he intercepts the arrow head, deflecting to the ground. Peering ahead, they seemed to be mercenaries. “It looks like they followed us from the village!” he exclaimed. Having defied the throne, they do not take it lightly. The group would be pursued by all kinds of threats until they crossed the border, and even then their safety was not assured. Two more arrows were flung at him and he snapped them both with a swift stroke of the blade. Zero commended his sword abilities. He was agile and precise. The android wished to test out his other abilities to make sure they were still functioning, but given the task to look after Cayu, he was chained to his position. He decided to let Plation have this one, considering he didn’t know what he would do if it turned out none of his abilities were working. Scanning the lot, they were relatively strong –definitely a threat while in his condition, but he believed the elfish man would fare well against them.
There were two huntsmen and two spearmen; the spearmen marched ahead while the huntsmen readied their bows and fired. Plation, holding the tip of his blade with the other hand and raising horizontally in front of him began to chant words in a tongue the android could not comprehend. It was similar to the biseijin, Helios when summoning the ox-beast. Hovering over his blade, those weird patterns emerged once again. Unlike Zalam’gar’s who’s were purple, his were yellow; thinking back, the green flames cast by Helios’ summoning spell was also a circle with odd patterns, he just hadn’t realized it until now. From the yellow circle, a dozen fire balls were spewed at moderate speeds. The spearmen come to an abrupt halt and raise their weapons to fight off the flames. In spite of their attempts, Plation was not aiming for them, but the huntsmen in the back. The two arrows launched their way were soon disintegrated by the flames while a handful of fire balls still remained. The huntsmen panicked, but only one managed to break free from the stiffness of their legs and maneuvered to the left. His companion was not so lucky. The flames came rushing in, slamming against him and tossing him aside.
The spearmen promptly after commenced their progression. “Heretics…” Plation muttered. They were not in it for glory or loyalty to the throne, being a mercenary was simply an excuse to legally capture or kill civilians. They were hired by the royal guard to perform tasks which seemed to bothersome for them to do on their own. The prospect angered the elfish man. If only they had that kind of motivation towards dismantling the crown, they wouldn’t be in their situation. “HYAAAAAAAAAAAA~” Plation screamed, rushing towards their antagonists with a roar, his blade readied beside him. The spearmen stopped about five feet away and thrust their weapons forward in an attempt to pierce through the rebels flesh. Plation parried their spears, and moved in for the kill; a single stroke of his sword, and the men dropped to the ground. The remaining huntsmen had been preparing his next arrow, but before he could do that, he decided to call it quits and made a run for it. Smart, Zero thought. Plation sheathes his sword and perspires. He turns, making sure Cayu and Zero were unharmed and smiles widely. “Well, that was a workout!”
Cayu smiles back and celebrates. Zero, however, was struck with curiosity. “Those patterns,” he said. “-Oh, they’re transmutation circles,” Plation avidly replied. “They’re fundamental in the art of magic wielding. The biseijin and we konatsians are the only ones capable of performing them.”
“So you and the biseijin have similar powers.”
“Similar, not the same. They use dark magic that manipulates the souls of other beings, they don’t care about the victim, and they don’t value life. Plus, I wouldn’t want such abilities… Power corrupts the mind.”
“Power corrupts the mind…” Zero repeated to himself. It sounded so familiar to him, as though he had heard of it before. Deep in thought, the android and his new found allies press onward to reach The Great Wall. Before long, it was now visible on the horizon, but Cayu was clinging to Plation’s legs. The elfish man understood and turned to the android. “Zero, we’ll camp out here tonight.”
“Inacceptable,” the android protested. “The Great Wall is right there. I do not intend to rest until we have arrived to Mount Hielo.”
“But the sun is setting and nightfall will be upon us, we have to regain our strength, Zero. I know you have that invincibility going on, but we don’t,” Plation argued. “If we don’t rest now, then I won’t be able to protect you efficiently. You can’t fight as long as that curse is on you.”
Zero was silent. He did not require to sleep, in his mind, they were going to arrive all the way to Mount Hielo and then return without stop. However, he had forgotten that he was accompanied by mortals, they were not as resistant as he. Plation smiled, “Let’s go towards that lone tree over there, we wouldn’t want to be in the wide-open fields…”
The three had settled down, comforted by the shade of a tree and the light of a fire created from its twigs and tree trunks. The stars were out and the sunlight was reflected by the asteroid belt that orbited the planet. The silence was riddle with the crackling of the fire and Zero was left with his thoughts once again. He was used to it. Back in Alpha Prime, it was part of his daily activities. After training with the gravity chamber or simulator, he would return to his own room, staring at the wall until the next order was issued. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Plation commented, referring to the asteroid belt overhead as he lay on the grass beside him. Zero was sitting erect and his head straight, it made the elfish man chuckle. “Why don’t you relax and lay down?” “It makes no difference,” Zero responded. Whether he was lying down or sitting, it would not heighten the degree of comfortness his body experienced as he could not experience it at all. He might as well stand all night watching for predators. Plation grinned, “Of course it does,” he said, “I may not know what it’s like to be an android, but I sure know it’s easier to look at the sky when you don’t have to constantly jerk your head up. Try it,” he suggested. Looking at the sky, Zero thought he might see the elfish man’s point. Plation smiled as the metal man complied with his wishes and rest his back on the ground. He was right, the android thought. He could admire so much more of the sky whilst on the ground. He didn’t have to constantly monitor and regulate his movements.
Plation rolled on his back, joining the android’s gaze. “You know, Zero, we didn’t always live on this planet…” “How did you get here?” “Well, this planet’s name is actually Lupin IV. You may have guessed, but it’s the fourth and remaining planet of the Lupine System. Our kind had always been in a state of war and reckoning, but that very destructive nature brought about the death of our planets time and time again. Although we each resided in our own planets, we were still next door neighbors with a grudge that was cultivated by our ancestors. Eventually, Lupin one, two and three were all destroyed and we were forced to coexist in this one. That’s why there’s so many different races. This little planet was home to the Konatsians, the Hera, and the Moujuujin. We had finally learned of our mistakes and made a pact to protect this planet. It’s the last planet we have and we can’t let it die on us or we’ll become galactic nomads with no home to turn to. That is, until the biseijin came upon our small paradise and decided to take over. They turned us against each other once again, resulting in The Great Wall that separates Avalon from Whitewater. The moujuujin distanced themselves from the mainland, now living in that small island to the north called Mount Hielo.”
Plation closes his eyes, trembling as he continued with the story. Zero could sense the dread in his shivering voice, “The… the biseijin… they had arrived so suddenly… if only you had seen it you might understand the darkness that was upon us… they came accompanied by those dark machines they called the Gors and ransacked our villages. Those things were raining down straight from space, harbored by the spaceship that now orbits this planet –the biseijin’s jail. In the past two centuries, we have had three rulers. Argon was the one to colonize our planet and enslave our people, but Radon was the one who really struck fear into the populace. Our current ruler, Helios, is nothing compared to his ancestors… but they don’t see that. They’re still scarred by Radon’s ghost. Then again, I often question whether we should keep fighting. We lost our homes three times, because we fought. Because we ‘defended’ our honor, our planet suffered and we were forced to evacuate the entire population and migrate to this one. I think that’s part of the reason why the civilians won’t stand up to our oppressors. I’m sure some of them realize Helios’ is a weakling, but our past is so engraved into their memories that it stills them…”
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time,” Zero said. Plation stared at him blankly. Obviously, he had not expected the android to participate in the conversation. Being so conservative and all. Zero glanced at him, “I read it off my master’s shoulder as I glimpsed at the book he was reading …”
“Your master, huh? Sounds like a wise man,” Plation commented. If only he knew… “Zero, please tell me more about the planet you came from.”
The android’s eyes wandered back at the stars. The Omega Collective was nothing to gloat about, it was so dark and murky compared to this planet. But as he lay on the red grass, he wondered whether one of the stars overhead might have been them. They seemed so bright from this perspective. “Well, it’s not a planet,” he clarified. “It’s a chain of large, hollowed out asteroids orbiting around a gaseous planet named Crixus-7. The first is called Alpha Prime, where my master and I reside. We live in a laboratory where they undergo all kinds of research, mostly with the purpose of improving my abilities. Lord Prometheus Zex is the ruler of such place, an alien species unknown by others. The second asteroid is called Beta Minor, governed by King Arctic, an Icejin. I’m not sure whether they have actually battled before, but there is history between the two concerning dominance over the Omega Collective. Even now, there is this silent tension between both colonies. Then there’s the Gamma Slums, built by a mysterious benefactor to deal with the population explosion of Alpha Prime. Many believe it was only created to separate the rich from the poor.”
“Hmm,” Plation responded, “somehow… it sounds a lot like this planet. Two different species coexisting in one space, yet they look to the day they will have complete dominance over the other. Aside from that, it sounds like a nice place to be. I wouldn’t mind visiting someday…” the elfish man says as he turns away and starts to slowly fall into a deep slumber. Of course, Zero thought, he never mentioned the crime and mischief that encompassed that land. Zero settled his eyes on the sky as the hours went by, awaiting for the two suns to rise over the night sky so they could continue their journey. Cayu soon awoke, approaching the android.
“Mister… I had a bad dream… can I sleep with you?”
…
The new day dawns and the group continue along the dirt road, leaving nothing but the ashes of twigs and branches as proof of their passing by. Before long they had arrived at The Great Wall, great for a reason as it was probably as large as the floating castle was high. Gors were stationed at the gate. “Damnit,” Plation cursed. “There has to be at least a dozen of them.” He said. Never having left Avalon, he didn’t realize the border might have been protected. Now that they thought about it, it made sense that the King would leave guards at the gate, otherwise, he would be left without a population to rule. Across the wall, his reign was not yet asserted, and so Gors were stationed to make sure nobody left the kingdom. Cayu hid in the bushes, as Plation would surely require Zero to back him up against all the Gors. However, the android was not sure he would be able to help in their predicament without his weapons.
“Well, here foes nothing,” Plation said, casting a dozen fireballs to rain down on the Gors as he charged ahead to greet them with his blade. Zero followed closely behind. The fireball caught them by surprise, but the machines didn’t seem very much affected. The Gors unleashed their guns and began shooting at the two heretics with laser guns. Zero and Plation maneuvered between the free-fire, evading them efficiently while approaching at a rapid pace. Plation lunged at one of them, slashing with his sword. The blade sparked against the black metallic body, but the Gor remained unharmed. Zero was more interested in prodding them than he was in fighting. He peered at their arms and joints and found nothing but wires and tubes. If one looked closely, they could see through the machine’s body, towards the other side. Having been reckless, they were soon surrounded by the Gors. Zero and the konatsian found themselves back to back. “What are their weaknesses?” Zero asked. They appeared to be unhindered by both magic and physical damage. They almost seemed invincible. “I don’t know,” Plation confessed, “this is the first time I fought one.”
What? The android thought. Zero had followed the man into battle because he thought the konatsian knew what he was doing, but it turned out their battle tactics were quite different. Model Zero preferred to learn of his enemy before engaging them, but Plation winged it and went with the flow. The Gors stowed away their guns and brought out their swords. They were just like Zero in that regard, except they had no face or skin. Plation began to chant once again, a transmutation circle forming before him, lightning promptly struck down on the Gors surrounding them. Zero looked to the sky; it was completely blue and clear of clouds. It appeared logic did not apply to magic. The Gors were momentarily paralyzed, static sparks surging through their joints as they attempted to keep moving. The interesting part is that Plation didn’t cast thunder due to previous knowledge, it was just instinct. “Now!” He yelled, lunging at the machines with his blade. Zero dashed at one of them, snatching its sword as he passed right through it. It was light and weak, but it would serve its purpose until he could regain his saber. Looking closely at the machine, Zero thrusts the blade through the circuits connecting its torso to the rest of its body. The Gor immediately malfunctioned and collapsed. They were must easier to defeat once he put some thought into it.
Glancing at his ally, Plation’s sword skills were impressive, but he just kept mindlessly striking at the metallic body parts. “Aim for the joints!” Zero suggested. Plation looked back and nodded, promptly after slashing through the machine’s elbows. The arms snapped right off with just the right amount of force, the konatsian then proceeded to decapitate it with a stroke across its neck. Having been distracted helping his ally, Zero allowed the other Gors to sneak up on him. He narrowly ducked under its swing, his golden hair flowing around the blade. Another Gor had its sword positioned between the encroached android’s eyes and thrust with the intention to pierce his head, but Zero fazed through him. They were starting to get out of control. Right after evading one blade, another was already headed towards him. It was only a matter of time before one of them landed, he thought. Model Zero stops between them as the jewel on his forehead begins to resonate and unleashes the red destructive barrier he had used back in the village. The barrier expands up to five feet around him, violently hurling his foes off to the distance. Pieces of black armor and wires litter the ground as they fall apart.
“Alright, stand back,” Zero said. Plation nodded and took cover. Soon after, the jacket on Zero’s chest opened to reveal hidden cannons. The cannons charged up and unleashed a barrage of energy blasts upon the remaining Gors. Shrapnel and debris littered everywhere. At least that was still working, he thought. Zalam’gar couldn’t seal his other moves because he did not know they existed. It was Zero’s fault for revealing the cannon in his wrist. The android crouched over one of the Gor remains and studied its distinct parts. Plation watched from behind with Cayu clinging to his leg. “You’re nothing like them, Zero.’ He assured, as if he could read the android’s thoughts. “They have no soul. They’re just pieces of metal melded together. You have a heart.” With that said, Plation and Cayu proceeded towards the gate. Zero observed the piece of metal in his hands.
“A… heart?” he uttered.
Moments later, the group passed through the gate and they transitioned from a state of monarchy to one of anarchy. Across the wall, the Gors and Helios would not follow, but that did not necessarily mean it was better. Crossing through the gate, it was almost like walking into a completely different planet. The atmosphere was so much more different, and it almost seemed as though it were night although the sun had just dawned. Because, in this planet, the two suns rise on the west and set on the east, The Great Wall’s shadow was cast for miles upon the land, blocking out the sunlight. All the water that Avalon lacked was on this side of the wall. “Now I understand why they call it Whitewater,” Plation commented. Where they stood, the land was separated by a stream and connected by a bridge, and the water was so clear it felt as though it could bring people back from the dead. While Avalon was a vast kingdom of endless space, and beautifully red grass, Whitewater was filled with mountains and waterfalls rolling off the cliff-sides and trees at all corners of the region. The plant-life was still red, but it was accompanied by many different colors such as green and blues. Cayu ran off ahead, observing the vines that curled against the bridge. “I-it’s beautiful!” He exclaimed. His little bright eyes absorbed into the scenery. However, every rose has its thorn no matter how delicate and alluring it may be.
“Halt!”
Those words were the sole warning before the sound of gunfire reverberated off The Great Wall and the boy stumbled to the ground. “Cayu!” Plation exclaimed, unsheathing his sword and charged ahead. Zero eye’s widened. For once, he did not know what to do, the shock washed over him so suddenly and his limbs would not respond. There was nothing he could do anyway. Plation stopped in front of the boy, shielding him from any more bullets which may go their way. He glances back with urgency in his eyes. If he ever lost Cayu… he would just… tear welled up in the elfish man’s eyes, but a sense of relief soothed his soul as the young boy got back up with nothing but a scratch on his poor cheek. Blood dripped from the wound, but it was a certain miss. Cayu would be fine, he thought. Plation’s concerned expression changed into one of pure rage and hatred as he peered at his oppressors. They were beings he had not set eyes upon for a long time. “The Hera,” he uttered. Model Zero snapped out of his uselessness and joined the man, standing beside the little boy.
The man who shot was holding a rifle in his hand. He approached the group, stopped half-way at the bridge. “Now, isn’t this a sight for sore eyes?” he said. “What brings a konatsian to our side of this pretty little planet?” The man was a bipedal humanoid with teal skin and orange locks of hair. His crew was not too far off either, they were standing by a large struck in the back.
“We’ve come in peace!” Plation assured. “Damn right you have, and you’re leaving us in peace as well. Turn your little swords back to fairyland and leave us.” The hera demanded.
“Please, all we want to do is get to Mount Hielo!” he insisted.
“Mount Hielo? Isn’t that where the moujuujin live? Now, why would you want to go there? Got a death wish?”
“No, this man,” Plation said as he revealed Zero to them. “He has been cursed by the King, we need to lift his curse so he can regain his powers and then defeat the biseijin!”
“Defeat the biseijin!?” The man recited with disbelief, “Hahahahahahaa! Now that’s a laugh. Alright, and how exactly do you plan on doing that? Enlighten me.”
Zero glanced at his ally. The android was sure he could do it with his strength alone, but they would not attest to that. In fact, Plation never really explained what led him to believe they could actually pull it off. It was all wishful thinking so far. The elfish man’s gaze lowered and he spoke softly, “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But somehow, someway, we’ll win. If only, we worked together, I’m sure we can defeat them!” His green eyes met with his counterpart, and they were serious. The hera was still unconvinced. “Let’s say we believed you and helped you defeat the biseijin, what then? How do we know we won’t be backstabbed by your kind?” “-I guess, you’ll just have to trust in us,” Plation responded. “Trust that we have learned from our past. Trust that we can move pass our differences and coexist in this planet without walls that hide us from one another. That we can reach true understanding and show our guts to each other!”
“Hmph, an idealist, huh?” The man said. “I have to admit, you talk a good game, but can you play the part?” “-Yes!” he exclaimed, standing up straight with his arms wide open. Zero called on him to stand down. The fool, he thought, he was going to throw everything away. Cayu needed him, he couldn’t risk his life as though it meant nothing. Yet, the android admired that he would sacrifice himself for his ideals. Plation was an impressive being. “We can do it, I know we can!” the elfish man said with such passion that was sure to reach the hearts of the hera; but the man was full of such skepticism that he could not overcome. Plation continued, “You don’t have to live in a corner on this planet! You don’t have to live in fear that maybe those walls will be torn down someday. Let’s take it down ourselves!”
“Oh yeah? Well I like my little corner on the planet and I won’t risk it for some half-assed ideals!” The man concluded. He raised his rifle and aimed. “Look out!” Zero warned Plation, but before the man could pull the trigger, a feminine hand gently pressed down against the mouth of the rifle. “That’s enough,” she said. Her skin was also real, and she had long wavy orange hair. Her eyes were a slightly darker hue than her skin. She was gorgeous, and appeared to hold some influence as the man complied with her wishes. “I think his proposition is worth hearing.” “-But Sayako!” “That’s enough,” she ordered. “We’ll be taking them to our leader.” The woman turned to face the group, “however, you’ll be traveling as our captives.” Sayako raises her gun at the group and jerks her head so they start walking. Plation looks at Zero and the android nods. They would play along for the time being. If anything, they would find a way to escape if possible, but anything was better than their current situation.
In moments, they were thrown into the back of the truck and the crew drove out. The truck was dark and there were no windows. Two of the hera were driving the vehicle while the rest, four others, were driving in the back with Cayu, Plation, and Zero. Not knowing where they would end up, the android was beginning to get anxious again. He wondered what Ivan had been doing. He had been wasting so much time dawdling with these petty mortals, but he didn’t have a choice. All this time, he had been depending on Plation’s ability as he could not properly fight with all of the restrictions on him. Little did they know, the group would soon find themselves in a predicament. Suddenly, the vehicle veered to the side abruptly, and everything in the truck shifts to one side, one over the other. “An ambush!” One of them said as the truck came to a screeching halt and the double doors were slammed open. The hera immediately jumped out and commenced shooting at the bandits.
Zero and Plation rip apart the ropes that had been tied to their wrists and escape the vehicle with Cayu. Promptly after exiting the vessel, it explodes into dozens of pieces and flames. “Everywhere we go there is danger and war!” Plation complained, his anger clearly visible. He was tired of the way they lived; a planet which appeared to be paradise was ruined by the darkened souls that resided within them. If only they could act as one race, he thought. Two of the hera which held them captive were already taken down by the bandits and one of them was injured. The woman of teal skin and sapphire eyes had her own plate full as the heretics ganged up on her. She proved skillful with the gun as she wielded two at a time. The other man that had initially intercepted them fired off all his rounds with the rifle. Soon enough, they would fall and perish by the hands of their contender. Model Zero recognized this as an opportunity and began making his escape. “Let’s go!” The android said, but Plation looked back confused.
“Where are you going?” the konatsian inquired. “This is our chance to escape. We need to get to Mount Hielo,” Zero explained. However, Plation had a different view. “No!” He said, “We can’t just leave them like this! We have to help!” The android shook his head. “They are not our problem,” Zero insisted, but his words angered the elfish man. “Not our problem!?” he said, “that belief is exactly our problem! If we turn our backs on them now, nothing will ever change. Even if we defeat Helios and the biseijin, we will always be under constant war and anarchy. This, Zero, is where our choices matter most. This, breaking the cycle of hatred, this is where change can be achieved. If you want to go, then so be it. You can do the rest on your own, but I’m going to save them or die trying. Farewell.”
With that said, the konatsian rushed into the fight. Sayako had been laying against a brick wall with an arm on her injured shoulder. She could no longer hold her gun. She had been defeated and closed her eyes as the men prepared to deal the killing blow. “Sayako!” her comrade yelled from a distance, he ran in a fruitless attempt to reach her, but by the time he would get there it would already be too late. The men raised their guns, “Fire!” one of them uttered. The hera woman closed her eyes and cringed. This was it, she thought, until someone’s shadow was cast over her and she peeks to see who it was. Plation stood brave and strong before the bandits with his sword at hand. “No matter, it’s just one guy!” The bandit leader proclaimed and they prepared to shoot him down. “But… why?” Sayako murmured as the konatsian took out an ocarina and pressed it against his lips. He began to play the notes of an ancient melody just as the bandits began to fire, but the bullets were met with a transparent, crystal-like barrier they would only perceive when the bullets made contact. Plation had created a small safe-zone for the hera woman and himself; as long as he continued to play the notes of his song, the barrier would remain. Regardless… which would run out first? His breath? Or their bullets?
Model Zero would turn away, walking towards his destination. He had a mission to fulfill and he had already wasted enough time playing buddies with the natives of this planet. All he had to do was head towards the north and he would eventually reach the shore. Alone, he would move a lot faster skipping through the landscape with his powerful legs. He would get to Mount Hielo in no time and return to Avalon so he could reclaim his possessions, defeat Goliath, Helios, and save Ivan and The Doctor –all on his own. He had no problem with the prospect. He had been alone all throughout his short life and perceived nothing wrong with continue doing so. Therefore, he walked. The android crouched slightly to gain impulse from the ground in preparation for his leap. One leap would take him several meters away, far from the cataclysm that had taken place; that is, until a child’s hands tugged on his fingers and stopped him. “Don’t leave,” Zero glanced down at the innocent Cayu, whom Plation had completely forgotten about. It was only a matter of time before one of the bandits disposed of the boy. His face was sad and riddled with dirt.
Flames grew and engulfed their surroundings, illuminating the child’s visage as his unfaltering eyes stared into Zero’s. They were so bright and green compared to the coal pools of the android. Zero looked back at Plation as he calmly played his instrument to fend of the attackers, however that was only a temporal fix to the problem. Before long, his breath would run thin and he would no longer be able to maintain the magical barrier. The android clenched the sword in his hand. He didn’t understand why or what, but something compelled him to move and it was not towards the north. Descending from above, Zero slashes down on one of the bandits, stirring them into a panic. Startled by the commotion, Plation stops playing the ocarina and opens his eyes to see his ally join the fight. He smiles, not so surprised after all and turns to the hera woman. She looks up as he lends her his hand. “Sayako was it? Let’s end this cycle of hatred and contempt. We’ll defeat the royal throne and take back our home, together! No more walls.”
The woman couldn’t understand, but apparently Plation possessed a charisma which urged others to follow. She raises he arm, weakly, accepting his gesture of friendship as he pulls her up from the ground. “Take her to safety!” He says, guiding Sayako to henchman. The man protested, claiming that he didn’t receive orders from a konatsian, but Sayako promptly silenced him and ordered him to comply. The surviving hera went for cover along with Cayu and watched as the elf and android fought side by side to take down the bandits. “Hold them off until I’m ready,” Plation asked. Zero nodded. The bandits began firing off once again. Model Zero may not have a consistent shield like Plation, but he possessed an ability unrivaled by anyone in the universe. Swinging the sword around, he intercepted every bullet with his lightning fast reflexes, deflecting them towards the ground. Meanwhile, the konatsian began to chant the lyrics of his next spell. Raising his sword to the sky, it became enchanted by the magical incantation that he cast. “It’s ready!” he said, his skyward sword pointing at the clouds, glowing in a cloudy white aura.
Zero nodded and moved out of the way as the last bullet was shot down by the sword he took from the Gors. With a mighty roar, Plation thrust his sword down and an indomitable gust of wind transcended past the blade and blew away their aggressors. Any structures were swept away by his mighty attack, and the fire surrounding them vanquished. Zero gazed at the man. He had an aura about him which could not be swayed. After witnessing such prowess, the hera were convinced of their resolve and promptly escorted to their leader. Sayako vouched for them and they were soon granted the aid of the hera. They even donated a boat to their cause so they could travel to Mount Hielo while the rest rallied up the troops for the incoming battle.
At last, Cayu, Plation, and Zero have traveled all the way to the frozen island Mount Hielo in search of the moujuujin. They were in the middle of a snowstorm. Zero would survive, but Plation was forced to play another sonnet with his ocarina, creating a magical atmosphere around them to block off the snowflakes and keep them warm. It was then that they met with the large ox-beasts face to face. It must have been ten times their size and width as it stared down upon them with his nostrils flaring. Plation gulped, but the beast had not attacked. Atop the moujuujin, there was a woman with long green hair, though her face was concealed by a large skull worn over her head. They explained to her that they had traveled from Avalon to remove the curse infringed upon the android. The group soon learned that the moujuujin were actually gentle creatures misunderstood by their size and raw power. They lived in packs, and their thick hide protected them from the harsh cold weather although they preferred the heat of the sun.
“Can you help us?” Plation pleaded. They had no idea what or who the woman was behind the skull, but she seemed to live closely with the moujuujin and they hoped she would aid them on their quest. Sadly, the woman shook her head. “Why?” Plation asked.
“We can’t,” she said. “Goliath, the ox-beast stolen by the evil ones is the elder of the pack and possess all of their magic. When the elder dies, his powers are passed down to the next natural born leader. However, without him present, our hands are tied,” she explained. As it seemed, they had traveled all the way to Mount Hielo in vain, Helios had the upper hand all along. Regardless, Plation did not see it that way. In their journey, they had made invaluable allies and he saw the opportunity to win the moujuujin over and finally reunite them.
“In that case,” he said with wide smile, “join us. Come with us and bask in the sunlight. Help us defeat the biseijin. We’ll free Goliath from Helios’ wrath and regain control over our planet. This is the last planet in the Lupine system, we can’t afford to lose it to the hands of some low-life scums who don’t understand the value of life!”
The woman gave off what seemed like a lull and nodded. “We’ll lend you our power. Lead us! To Freedom!”
And so, the moujuujin rise off the frozen land and fly towards the mainland thanks to their magical and mysterious nature. “Zero,” Plation said, “I want to thank you.” The hera raise their guns in the air and march to the horizon. “Without you, none of this would have been possible.” The two suns began to set and rise anew as they approach The Great Wall. “You shouldn’t,” Zero replied. “I’m not as I appear to be.” The konatsian now viewed as the idealist who joined the hera and moujuujin stands above the head of an ox-beast with the wind caressing his face. “You are, you shouldn’t doubt yourself. Zero, you’re full of heart and soul.” The moujuujin moans as the sun melts away the crystalized ice on its fur, which now shines brightly and beautifully. “You’re wrong, I used you for my own selfish reasons.” The moujuujin ram their heads against The Great Wall and shatter it with their awe-inspiring might and continue to fly majestically through the air.
“Back then, in the village, you could have sided with the royal guard –but you didn’t. Instead, you allied yourself with the elfish man that attacked you and a little child that couldn’t possibly benefit you in any way.” The hera and countless alien beings that walked the land now witnessed an endless field of red grass that spanned for miles. No walls. “I was awake when Cayu had a nightmare, I’m grateful that you allowed him to sleep with you.” They marched on the land of Avalon, clad in armor. The biseijin and konatsians notice them and start preparing. Zero sits silently at the beast’s head as the man continues to speak and listens. “Although it seemed you would have left us back there, I kept playing my ocarina knowing you would pull through, and you did. Instead of leaving us behind,” the man looked down at the android with a genuine smile, “you stayed and helped me and the hera.” Cayu clings onto the android. “Thank you, Zero!” “…you’re welcome…”
…
The dye had been cast. Centuries of torment and horror, struggle and misunderstanding, it all lead towards this one event, the culmination of their ancestor’s long and winded journey. In one side of the field, hera and moujuujin stood side by side along with other alien races. On the other, stood fellow konatsians, Gors, and biseijin. A single ox-beast descended towards the center with Plation at its head, facing his brethren. Zalam’gar, surprised to see the young man, smirks and closes his eyes in submission. The elfish man projects his voice for all to hear, and hear they shall… “This world is our home to share!” He said. “We all come from the same roots, just as the branches of a tree always lead back to the trunk. Our race must act as one, live as one. Our hearts must beat as one. Too few of the people today have the vision needed to realize our true potential, as one, undivided race.” “One, undivided race…” Sayako murmurs to herself. Who would’ve thought such an abstract idea would have become so solidified and tangible enough to win their hearts.
Sweat drops rolled down Plation’s face. He hoped his brethren would let go of their fear and stop clinging to the past. He hoped they would join them towards a new era of prosperity. However, if they chose to remain; unfortunately, his blade would not be stilled. If he can’t fly, he’ll run, if he can’t run, he’ll walk, if he can’t walk, he’ll crawl, but whatever he does, he will keep moving forward. No longer would they linger in helplessness. Not anymore. “Alas,” he said, “Let us konatsians, moujuujin, and hera unite under one flag and chase away the biseijin. Join us and be free! But regardless of your choice, we will keep moving forward without regrets! Our torment ends now!” he proclaimed, pointing his sword towards the floating city of Avalon. That was the cue. Hera and Moujuujin rushed forward and nothing would stop them.
“Freedom!” Zalam’gar exclaimed, unsheathing his rapier and striking down the Gor beside him. With his valiant effort, the other konatsians followed and joined the rebellion. They purged on. The war had commenced. Model Zero and Plation descended onto the battlefield, landing on Gors and crushing them under their feet with the aid of gravity while an ox-beast took Cayu to safety. “Zalam’gar!” Plation called. The pale konatsian turned to meet his brethren with a forced smile. Even now, he was fighting the curse mark which compelled him to side with the Gors. “It took you long enough,” he said. “Android, your possessions are in the sheriff’s cabin. Get them and defeat Helios at his castle.” Zero nodded and looked to Plation. “Thank you Zalam’gar. Soon enough, we’ll free you from your curse,” he assured, nodding at Zero for them to get going. In a flash, the two jettison across the battlefield, skipping through the grasslands in a race to the floating castle. Zero swings his sword, knocking down Gors and biseijin as they traversed the battlefield. The inhabitants of this planet would take care of them, he thought. Their purpose lie elsewhere. Plation was a little faster because of the heavy weight which slowed Zero down, but they still arrived at the village at relatively the same pace.
Zero dropped the sword he had borrowed from the Gors and welcomed his saber to his hands and stowed away his pistol in its holster. He looks at his left hand. “Oh,” Plation realizes, “we forgot to ask Zalam’gar about that thing…” “No matter,” Zero responded, looking firmly at the floating city above them. “We’ll deal with that later.” Plation scratches his head. “How will we get up there? It was designed so only those who could fly can reach the city. The moujuujin are too far away. It would be a waste of time if we turned back now…” Zero grabbed onto the konatsian’s hand and nodded. “I’ll show you how,” he assured, crouching down for an effective impulse. The ground seemed to crack below his feet as Model Zero propels himself into the air with a burst of wind at his wake, pulling Plation along for the ride. They must have been at least half-way before his body began to decelerate. The weight of Plation and Zero’s heavy weights were too much for the android, but Zero would not give up.
Just as they began to descend, he hurled Plation ahead of him. “I’ll be back,” he said, diving head-first to the surface. As he approached land, Zero shifted his lithe body in the air and planted his feet firmly on the soil. The ground shattered and formed a concave below him as the android harnessed all the momentum he had gained and channeled it through his legs like a spring before ricocheting back up towards the floating city. Now accelerating at a much faster pace, he grabs onto the konatsian in the air and extends his arm, reaching for the edge. Missing by a nail, they begin to fall once more, but the android pulls Plation up again and the konatsian grapples the edge with his life. “Damn, Zero,” Plation complained, “you might… want… to lose a few pounds…” The android smirked and the konatsian pulled him up over the edge. “Hah!” he said, “I made you laugh!” Zero looked at him blankly with a stern face. “What are you saying?” he questioned, moving ahead towards the giant doors. Plation glares and follows him.
*BOOM*
The doors slam open as the duo enters. Helios remained on the throne, sitting expectantly of his visitors. “So! You’ve come!” he lulls. His small petite voice reverberates off the vertical columns of his castle. The halls were polished and the walls intact despite Zero’s battle with Goliath only a few days ago. In there, the cries of war and change were blocked out by the magical throne room. Plation unsheathes his sword and takes a step forth, “Your reign of terror ends today!” he said, aiming the tip of his blade at the despot’s visage as if it could pierce through his skull from a distance. “Hahahahah!” Helios laughed, closing his eyes shut and pressing his hands against his stomach while kicking his feet. The biseijin didn’t seem very troubled about their presence in his royal court. In fact, the thing appeared welcome their challenge. Plation’s anger intensified with the biseijin’s belligerent chortle. Gripping his sword tightly, he rushes in to strike down their opponent while his guard was down. Zero knew, however, that it would not be so simple.
Helios began to settle down with the konatsian’s defying roar littering his auditorium. His care-free expression dwindled to a more annoyed preface. Looking down on the konatsian, he frowns. Even as Plation leapt through the air, Helios had remained composed over his seat; simply raising his hand with palm facing the konatsian, a transmutation circle immediately formed between Plation’s blade and Helios. The sword was stilled and the force behind Plation’s attack was returned through magic. “Augh!” the konatsian grunts as he is thrown back by his own strength. Landing on his back, he is quick stand and commence his charge once more. “Stubborn little…” Helios commented. Suddenly, Gors would emerge from the shadows cast by the many columns that lined the royal hall. Plation halts as the machines surround him. Realizing the konatsian needed help, Zero dashes onward to aid him, but Plation would not wait. The konatsian holds his sword before him as he tends to do when casting a spell and chants in his elven tongue. His sword begins to emanate a mysterious light as it did before when they were attacked by the bandits. Recognizing it, Zero decides to stay back and observe.
The Gors take out their weapons and charge the konatsian. Meanwhile, Helios sat comfortably on his throne, supporting his chin with an arm prepped on the chair. His calm expression was altered like a ripple in a steam as a large transmutation circle manifests on the ground. Plation’s sword glimmers with the weight of his magical prowess and lifts his arm slowly as if the blade’s density had increased. The Gors were about a foot away before he managed to fully extend his arm in the air with a valiant roar. Next, there was a blinding light which illuminated the dark corridors, and then, all the Gors were gone. Disintegrated on the spot by the konatsian’s mythical powers. There was absolutely nothing –not even dust remained as magical particles dispersed in the air. Plation remained in the center of an ashen cross-section with his chest heaving high and low. Once again, Model Zero had been impressed by the konatsian’s abilities. Given the right circumstances, he was unsure whether he stand up to him, but mere observation shows that Plation would not last much longer if he kept using spells of such might. With great power, the price must be hefty and it was beginning to show.
Helios’ expression was now a disturbed one as he glared down upon the konatsian warrior. “Well done,” he says, unable to deny the man’s efforts, “but I doubt you have much left in you.”
With that said, the biseijin’s eyes began to glow an ominous green hue and Zero knew what was going to happen. It was just like before, green flames following as their surroundings ebonize and Goliath is once again summoned. Model Zero’s grip tightens, preparing for the coming battle, but something keeps his feet from moving. His heavy weights? A spell? Whatever it was, his feet were anchored to the ground and he was forced to watch by the sidelines. Plation had become exhausted and rests a knee on the marble floor while pressing his sword down as a foothold. The ox-beast puffs out smoke from his nostrils, imposing his presence on the individual, but Plation didn’t seem to pay any mind to his existence.
“Zero!” Plation called out, glancing over his shoulder. “Don’t be afraid! Even if you are cursed, it doesn’t mean a thing! Fate has a weird way of making everything work out, and you may not believe in fate but… Just remember…! When it seems as though the universe has cut you loose and seeks to discard you from existence… you are at last free to transcend its boundaries!”
The words hit the android like a bolt of lightning. His eyes widened and fragments of memories he could not understand rush through his eyes. –Transcend your boundaries- The phrase rang through his mind many different voices, trying to identify and match it to the right person. Alas, he didn’t recognize any of the many faces shown to him regardless. Afraid? he thought. That’s impossible. Ivan had told him numerous times that androids do not feel such meaningless emotions. Suddenly, he regained control over his hands as his grip tightens over the handle of his saber. Goliath was done waiting. The ox-beast rose on his hind legs and descend with the weight of his body to crush the konatsian warrior. Plation tries to move, but his muscles were too stiff. Helios smiles.
Helios frowns. Goliath’s feet impacts with the marble floors and ransacks the foundation of the biseijin’s castle, but Plation was saved. Model Zero stood at a considerable distance from the ox-beast as he lowered the konatsian to the ground. “Don’t… hurt him…” Plation pleads. “Goliath is just a victim… for such a gentle creature to be bound by their magic, they must have done some terrible things…” Zero nodded. It would be difficult, but he was right. They had learned that the moujuujin’s infamous reputation was a false conception due to Helios manipulation. However, the wizard’s powers were only effective against those who possessed malice in their hearts. For such a pure creature such as them to become enslaved by magic of that kind, for hatred to brew in their innocent souls, the biseijin must have done unspeakable things.
“Hahahaha!” Helios laughs. “You put up a nice show, Zero, but I think this little war is over. That is, if you don’t want anything to happen to your master…”
The android flinched, glaring at the biseijin. He had thought about it time after time, but he kept pushing the thought away. How was Ivan doing while he got caught up in all of this? If Helios had a hold of him, then there was nothing the android could do anymore. His saber lowers. “What’s going on?” Plation inquires. “Ivan,” Zero replies. “My master is their captive.” Plation’s eyes widen. Suddenly, he could understand why the android was on such a hurry to regain his powers. The konatsian’s anger resurfaces and he growls at the biseijin. “You never cease to surprise me! You have everyone under your leash, don’t you!?” Helios grins. “Quiet you,” he says, “Now, don’t move or Ivan dies.”
Moving his finger, Goliath begins to approach the two, preparing to finish them off. It was then that Plation whispered something and Zero braced himself. “Now!” the konatsian yelled as he stood up and began to play his ocarina. Zero dashes towards the biseijin. “You fool!” Helios snarled, but his movements were soon petrified by the soothing sound of the konatsian’s magical instrument; even Goliath was forced to concede. The magical song Plation played was one that inflicts paralysis on their surroundings. With the little energy he had left, he could still muster such a spell, but the downside of his attack is that it affected everyone who heard it –even himself. It was a technique developed by konatsian ancestors as a sacrificial last-ditch effort. During great destruction, they had stopped their enemies from fleeing, however the noble act cost them their lives. Plation believed that his spell would not affect Zero because the helmet on his head hid his ears. It was not so much the sound of the music which paralyzed his victims, but the waves emitted. If there was something between the sound waves and a person’s ears, then that alone was enough to thwart his attempts.
By the time the song stopped playing, everything in the royal court but Model Zero was frozen on the spot. Zero stared at the biseijin’s petrified expression. Helios tried to speak, but his lips would not even quiver at his attempt. Zero had no words to say, just a slash from his blade to decapitate the wizard. Before long, Zero’s curse was lifted and Goliath was released from his spell. “Thank you,” the ox-beast said. He did not speak, but his voice was telepathically delivered. A moment later, Zero and Plation were healed from their wounds and the ox-beast leaves the royal court, flying in free will once again. Down in the battlefield, Zalam’gar feels as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he immediately knew that they had succeeded. “The war is won!” He declares with a great howl and strikes the Gors down.
Standing outside of the castle with his regained strength, Zero stares at the sky. Plation couldn’t sense energy, much less an androids, but he could smell the change in Zero’s aura. He was on a whole different level now; although, if asked, Zero might think differently. Plation had proven himself to be quite capable. Glancing at the android, Plation seemed to know what he intended, and although a normal person would think it impossible, the konatsian saw it to be true without question. “I’ll go with you,” he declares. Model Zero looks over his shoulder, but before he could protest, Plation continued. “Even you can’t survive the harsh environments of space. At 600km above Lupin IV the temperature fluctuates between +258 and -148 degrees Fahrenheit, whether you melt or freeze, it’ll happen within a second of a second.” Zero was silent. He wasn’t wrong. The android didn’t know what it would be like to be in the vacuum of space without any protection, he had never done it before. The konatsian took his silence as a yes and mounted onto the android’s back. “Alright, let’s go!” he stated, pointing his index finger at the sky.
Zero’s eyes peered through the clouds. Plation couldn’t see it, but the android was following the spacecraft’s trajectory with his eyes. All he had to do was pin down Ivan’s energy signature and his scouter would do the rest for him. Crouching down, the ground begins to crumble and Zero makes the strongest leap in his existence. Even with his heavy weights, his power was more than enough to break through the stratosphere. Plation grinned widely as he grabbed onto Zero and struggled to keep his eyes open. This was a once in a life-time opportunity and he did not want to miss a moment as they passed through the clouds. Suddenly, their clothing was drenched and the konatsian reveled in it. However, he started sensing the dense air and decided it was time to get started. Reaching for his ocarina, he carries it over Zero’s chest and lowers his face on the android’s shoulder so he may press his lips on the instrument.
As soon as Plation begins to play his magical notes, an artificial atmosphere forms around them, protecting them from the outside as if they were still on the planet’s surface. The two were finally out of the planet’s atmosphere and found themselves at the edge. Plation suppressed a gasp as he watched his planet curve. It was beautiful he thought, but he must keep playing his ocarina slow and steady; their lives depended on it. Zero noticed Plation was having a hard time keeping the barrier on, but it did not matter for they were almost there. An instant later, the two tore through the ships walls and onto what appeared like a hall. The spacecraft seemed to rotate around it center, creating artificial gravity. Zero made his way towards the nearest door, exiting the hall which was now open to the harsh environment. Once the door close shut behind them, Plation released his spell and dropped to the ground, gasping for air.
Laying on the ground, crawling towards them as he draws his last breath was the alien creature that had held his masters captive. “Please… help me…” he pleaded, reaching out to Zero in vain as his hand drops to the floor. Surprised, Plation looks above the fallen creature to find a red humanoid sitting on the captain’s chair with his legs crossed. “Master,” Zero said. Apparently, they had worried over nothing. Plation stood up beside the android. This is his master? the konatsian thought. In retrospection, he didn’t seem very different from the biseijin. “Zero! I’ve been waiting for you. This baboon thought he could subdue me, but my intellect was obviously superior.”
“Forgive me, sir,” Zero said, dropping down to a knee with his head towards the ground. Plation raised an eyebrow. “Who have you brought?” Ivan inquires.
Plation smiles and walks towards the bizarre man. “Hi! My name is Plation. I’m a konatsian, native to my planet. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” The man says, extending his hand. Ivan ignores his kind gesture and looks to the android. “Plation is an elven man from the planet Lupin IV; one of various races that reside within the planet. Magic seems to be very prominent within the land. I fell victim to one, having lost my strength to some curse cast by the biseijin. He helped me regain it, and in return I helped him free his planet from their tyranny…” the android continued, debriefing his master on the slightest detail and the scientist’s eyes lit up. He was astonished. He was thrilled. To think taking possession over the planet would be so simple, he thought.
“So,” Ivan started, standing from his chair and walking past the konatsian who still had his hand extended. “You’re the hero who saved the world from their century old rulers. I must commend your efforts, but I fear it was in vain.”
“What?” Plation turns around, confused. “What are you talking about?”
Ivan raises his hands to the air while looking at the roof as if speaking with a benevolent being. “Plation, savior of the masses, dies in a valiant last-ditch effort to save them from the hands of the belligerent biseijin. You will be remembered for decades to come. We will build statues of your image in every village so the world will forever be reminded of the sacrifices you have made.” Ivan stops behind Zero with his hands locked behind his back. He grins at the konatsian and in that moment Plation realized he was just another Stalin.
Ivan’s grin fades away and then he says in a more solemn tone, "Zero, kill him."
Zero’s eyes widen towards the ground. Kill him? he thought, gazing up at the konatsian. He had never spent so much time with another person who treated him like his equal. Plation was always encouraging him and smiling, as though they had formed some kind of bond. And now… Ivan asked him… to kill him… his only… friend? First… friend?
Ivan stares down at the android, alarmed to see that he had not reacted. “What are you doing? Didn’t you hear me? Dispose of the konatsian! His people will never accept me as their ruler if he’s alive.”
The android stands up slowly. His facial features were obscured by the grim nature of their position. Not once had he ever questioned Ivan’s demands. But this… If you don’t move, Ivan will be mad. The android takes a step forward and Ivan smirks.
"Wait, what!?" Plation gasps, taking a step back.
Zero moves closer.
“Zero… what are you doing?” the konatsian inquires, not wanting to believe it. The android’s gaze remains steadfastly at the ground. “-You don’t have to do this!”
“I must,” Zero says. “It is my master’s wish.” Plation flinches and steps back further. “So… this is the real you, huh? After all we’ve been through, you’re going to act like none of it mattered? You’re just going to wash it all away and pretend none of it was real?”
Zero stops. “You may be an android, and he may be your creator, but that does not bind you to his will!”
“I don’t have a choice!” Zero exclaims, his gaze still slanted at the ground, but Plation barks back. “You always have a choice! Don’t come to me with that bullshit! Zero! You can still change for the better! All you have to do is turn around and it will all be over!”
Zero raises his gaze, looking up to the konatsian. Ivan frowns, “Now that’s enough of you. Zero, finish it already!” The android steps forward, “Sorry…” he mutters.
“Sorry!?” Plation exclaimed. “Tell that to Cayu when you go back down and enslave my people! It's so easy that way, isn't it!? Hiding behind your master's orders, just so you don't have to take responsibility for your own actions!"
"Zero is a drone, like the Gors. He does anything and everything I ask him for," Ivan buzzes in.
Plation glares at him and then looks at the android. "Zero, listen. I don’t know what you’ve been through and I don’t pretend to understand, but what I do know is that you are given a chance to change every time he opens his mouth. Forget about what he says, you don't have to live your whole life under someone's shadow! You're not a drone! I saw it time and time again! You have a conscious! Zero, just please, follow what your heart says! It's the only one who's ever right..."
Laughter breaks throughout the entire room. "Zero has no feelings. He has no consciousness. Everything he thinks, does, and says are all predetermined by his core programming that I, his creator, developed. Your plea falls on deaf ears."
Zero grips his saber.
“Zero!” they yell in unison.
“Zero!”
Suddenly, the android swings his blade. Ivan grimaces as blood is splattered over his face. He didn’t think he could do it, but Zero finally made his choice as his victim dropped dead on the ground. Ivan wipes the blood off his face and grins at the fallen warrior. “Don’t scare me like that, Zero. Next time, I will not overlook your insolence.” The Doctor walks out of a dark corridor, shivering in fear. The entire spacecraft blares as sirens go off. It had sustained reasonable damage since they arrived and it could no longer hold. Slowly, the craft descends towards the planet’s atmosphere and Ivan stands before the glass window to witness it for himself. His laugh fills the room much like Helios’ did back in the castle, and Zero stares blankly at the corpse of the konatsian he would dare call his friend.
…
“My dear friends!” Ivan declared. The spaceship had landed amidst the battlefield, wreaked beyond repair though they were intact. They ceased fighting and listened at the man. “It pains me to bring you this news, but your valiant hero Plation has fallen to the hands of the biseijin.” Silence struck the masses. “No!” Cayu cried as Zero walked out of the spacecraft with the elven man in his arms. The little boy ran towards them, tugging on the androids legs and screaming for his brother as tears streamed down his face. Zero avoided looking at his eyes, for he feared the boy might see through him. “Let his memory not be in vain! Join together as brothers and sisters! Thanks to his brave efforts, you have been freed from the evil biseijin!” Ivan pauses, letting the news sink in as he prepares to engrave himself into their hierarchy. “I promise,” he says in a lighter voice as if full of pain, “I will honor his last breath and see to it that you all live in freedom! With Zero as my knight, we will protect this planet with our lives! Let us forever remember, Plation, the hero who freed us all!”
They cheer…
[PL. Heavy Weights. Criticism]
The stars shine down on the meadows of Avalon. Above the sky, just five minutes away, there was a grandeur city. However, it was unreachable to those who could not fly. The city of Avalon was for the 50% of the population, and the rest were made to live in secluded villages and vacant homes spread thin on the vast land. It wasn't such a bad place to live; not as luxurious as the city, but the view was breathtaking. Down in the ground, one could admire the majestic city's silhouette when in contrast to the glowing rocks of their planets rings. The sky was cluttered with large asteroids and meteors that orbited around Lupin IV, remains of the previous moons which collided against each other and created the chain of debris that now surrounded their beloved and beautiful planet. Each asteroid was of different sizes and shapes, numerous little moons reflecting the light of their two suns which was now far below the horizon; paired with the starry sky, unhindered by the artificial light and the obnoxious noises adhered to the city, it was the best view anyone could have for miles to come. Yes, it wasn't so bad after all; that is, if only the influence of the city, it's rules and laws, if only they stayed within the city.
The City of Avalon was not just a city, but a large castle at its core, and the rest built around it. Like any other castle, there was a King living within its walls, a National Guard to protect the citizens and it's King over anything else. The King was a ruthless and cruel man, all of it hidden and masked by the entertainment and tourism that went on around the city. Drones patrol every corner in the light of justice and security, but they also descended from the city and into the rural lands to keep an eye on the lower-class citizens and make sure they kept true to their curfew. Yes, everyone had a curfew, the King ordered it and everyone who broke the law would suffer dire consequences. Some were lucky enough to go out with a warning, others were struck and disciplined, maybe even jailed -some disappeared, never to be seen again. The City of Avalon was only for those of wealth. The ones who could afford hovering vehicles and many -but not enough- who could fly using their helium bladders. The reason for this was simple. In the City of Avalon, there were no streets, no stairs, or sidewalks; there were only floating structures and buildings, they say it was meant to keep the land pure and clean, to maintain the beauty of their planet and not tarnish the royal red grass. Regardless, everyone knew it was purposely engineered to keep the minority out.
Distant eyes lingering in the darkness peer out through the window of their bedroom, gazing at the mega structure in the sky. He ducks just below the windowsill as a drone is spotted drifting by on its regular patrols; they were black, bird-like creatures -but with propulsion technology built on its wings and rear. The things were automated and large enough to carry a single person. It wasn't until the drone flew off that the man's head pops back up from the window, his gaze never leaving the great city. Another head pops below him. They were siblings, as evident from their similar features. They both had the same pale skin, pointy ears, and hair as red as the blades of grass at the doorstep of their homes; characteristics of a Konatsian. The larger one pointed at the City of Avalon with his index finger, speaking to the younger one as he did so.
"One day, Cayu... one day we will claim our rightful place!"
The man's green eyes were full of vengeance and anger. His younger brother looked up at him. He didn't really understand what he meant, and he didn't understand why his big brother's eyes looked the way they did, but he trusted in his brother and he felt safe tucked under his warmth. He gulped and nodded in return, still gazing up to his brother. That's when he witnessed a shooting star reflected off Plation's eyes. He gawked in amazement. It was not often that they would see a shooting star in the sky. To them, it was an omen of change, good or bad -it was unknown. However, Plation stared at the shooting star with determined and hardened eyes. They were given an opportunity of change, and he would make sure it was good -for them. Little did they know, that was not a harmless meteor just passing shy of their atmosphere, there was much more in store for these natives...
Landing in 30 minutes...
Model Zero had been waiting patiently for the past week and a half. Ivan and The Doctor were a few minutes behind his spacepod, probably dying with hunger. They had flooded their spacepods with only a handful of beans. The android could not possibly understand what it felt like to be famished and starved, but he was certain a few beans would not suffice as he had seen the great portions of food his two masters consumed on a daily basis. Regardless, they seemed perfectly fine. He knew this because the scientists had not stopped talking to him throughout the entire ride. Occasionally, the thought of disconnecting his radio crossed his mind, but he never brought himself into actually doing it. The scientists would speak of their current mission and what they would be doing as they approached the red and blue planet. Sometimes, they would discuss philosophical ideas, the origin of the universe, or just mindless chit chat. The moments Zero truly enjoyed was when the radio had been silent because they needed to catch up on some sleep. Because they could not determine day or night within the vacuum of space, their sleeping cycles had been irregular; in fact, they had slept a lot more than usual in the past week -thankfully.
Away from the murmurs of the radio, the android's mind drifted away as he glanced through the single window on his spacepod and witnessed the majestic planet in its entirety. He retraced his thoughts, calling back to the orders he had been given by his master. They had never explained why or what caused them to do this, but Zero had no place in questioning their orders. Ivan had been searching for a suitable planet, and it turned out he had set his eyes upon Lupin IV. They would be colonizing it. However, taking over an entire planet was not as simple as it seemed. Model Zero may be strong, but they alone could not control an entire civilization through sheer power and fear -at least, not without obtaining the support of their military forces. That was going to be the main part of their mission. Model Zero and the scientists would need to gain the trust of the majority, and then, whatever the minority thought would be meaningless. After-all, a planet without residents was just an empty rock floating amidst nothingness.
The only thing Ivan disclosed pertaining to his reason of colonizing a planet were superficial. One reason was to ensure their security and survival. Their ultimate goal was to commit genocide, by eradicating an entire race of people. If anything went wrong, they would be linked back to home. The Omega Collective was not as secure as one would believe, and the other planets were far too popular and well-known to prove of any refuge. They needed a place like Belegost and Mement Mor, planets used by the Church of One, where they could hide and organize themselves. Eventually, everyone would find their hiding place -that was inevitable and, in fact, part of the plan. All would be revealed in time, the scientist would say, so cautious was he that he hesitated speaking of it even with his subordinates. Only The Doctor truly knew of everything that went by Ivan's twisted mind, and Zero would only learn of it whenever his participation was needed.
His other reason was income. Although being sponsored by Lord Zex and King Arctic, the scientist realized he would never make as much money as they could if they were rulers of their own planet. Just think of the potential tax revenues they could charge the residents! He would say. The fines for breaking laws, the criminals released after paying a lump sum, the scientist's greed was boundless and ever growing, and Zero would be the vehicle through which it all occurred. All in the name of science, he claimed. With more money, they could fund more projects, more research, they could spend less time looking for sponsorship and writing grant letters to distinguished corporations and instead distribute those efforts to furthering their goals and making Model Zero the best android that had ever graced the universe.
In addition, Ivan was tired of being pushed around and ordered by the higher ups. He had been the dog since his early childhood and that trauma created a complexity within his personality. Perhaps, that alone, was the greatest leading factor that gave birth to his actions today. He wanted nothing more than tasting the fruit of a ruler and sitting where they sat and giving orders only they could.
Landing in 20 minutes...
The spacepods were growing ever closer to the planet. Soon enough they would start entering its atmosphere. Ivan had long since made an adequate analysis of its contents while he studied the planet through a telescope back at Alpha Prime. The planet was much like Earth in terms of its biodiversity, the amount of water encompassing its surface, the composition of the air. The planet was slightly larger and it rotates around its axis considerably slower, making the days and nights much longer than accustomed.
"Looks like we'll be arriving during the night," the scientist buzzed through the receiver. "Zero, the mission will commence once you have stepped foot into Lupin IV."
"Roger."
"Ivan, looks like we have a problem!" The Doctor announced nervously.
"What's that!?" the scientist responded.
"Looks like some sort of Space Station..."
"Look out!"
Nothing could have prepared them for this. Orbiting around the planet, there was a large, multifaceted space station about the size of a city. It was the shape of a ring within a larger one. Capture pods were ejected from the bottom of the station and headed towards them. Zero's spacepod rebounded off the edge of the containment device, escaping into the planet. On the other hand, Ivan and The Doctor were captured. The capture pods spread into a type of fishing net, bringing their craft to a screeching halt. Slowly, the pods were retracted into the space station. Model Zero's space pod continued its course to the planet's surface as it crossed the atmosphere. It was difficult to describe the sight, especially when his craft was spinning uncontrollably. He had been in space, and then a moment later, the space pod was struck with a cloud of air. Friction was produced by the atmosphere's particles and the protruding vehicle, creating heat, which enveloped the craft in a conical sheet of flames.
"Ivan!" the android called out through the receiver. "Doctor!" There was nothing he could do. The spacepod was set on its destination, it had no functions which could allow him to manually steer it back into space until he had landed.
"Zero!" The scientist answered back. His voice was rushed, "Your spacepod suffered irreparable damage in the clash. You can no longer use it to exit the planet's atmosphere. Focus on your mission! Use the residents to find a way back up and rescue us!"
After the last message, the android heard the sound of metallic hatches sliding open. He deducted that they had already entered the space station and were about to meet their captors. Promptly after, the transmission was cut off and there was nothing but static left in its place. "Master!" The android called out, but there was no response.
Ivan and The Doctor found themselves imprisoned. Flanked by humanoid drones, they had been handcuffed with high-tech bracers bound by energy. They were escorted through the main halls of the station. There was artificial gravity, about the same as the Omega Collective, allowing them to walk on the carpeted floors. The walls were covered in numerous windows that provided a clear view of the planet below them. The scientist studied his captors. They were not like Model Zero, they were colder and darker. Their entire body was composed of black plated armor. Under the armor, there was nothing but wires and tubes. Ivan knew this, because those tubes could be plainly seen as it formed the arms and legs of the machine. Its face had no features whatsoever, just a smooth black surface with no eyes, no mouth, and a concave to resemble the nose. The silence of the room was filled with the monotonous clattering of their metallic boots against the floor and then the main hatch opening as the prisoners were led into what appeared to be the control room.
There were many monitors and working stations spread around the room, and a single man awaited them at the center, sitting in what would be the captain's chair.
"Name yourselves," the being said with his deep voice. He was a large and muscular creature with purple, speckled skin. He had two protruding holes on the side of his head, probably his ears, and wore a padless chestplate with black leggings and additional plates protecting his thighs. Its design was similar to the old saiyan battle armor, perhaps a descendant from the old regime tracing back thousands of years ago. He was clearly a general, or some military official in charge of this facility.
"Certainly!" Ivan jumped up, "my name is Ivan and this here is my colleague. You can call him Doctor." The scientist was looking to get in the man's good side, and avoid any drastic and unnecessary measures. He smiled widely and warmly, but his energy had not penetrated the cold layer of contempt veiled around the man's massive aura. His smile faded as the man spoke.
"Why have you come?" he asked plainly. The man was brief and to the point. Ivan knew he couldn't play too many games with this man. Regardless, he was good at talking his way out of predicaments, and they couldn't just tell them the truth.
"We have come as tourists," he lied. "You see, we are planetary explorers and we travel the galaxy far and wide in search of exotic planets! This one just happened to be next on our list. Is this how you treat your visitors? Cause-"
"There are no visitors," the General interrupted. "Lupin IV has kept itself isolated from the outside. We don't want the likes of you mingling with our people."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You are in the Lupin Space Station," the man started, walking towards them with his hands locked behind his back. "Our job is specifically to stop people like you from entering our atmosphere. Some of them are lucky and are sent free, others are executed on the spot for trespassing our borders. However," he stops in front of the scientist and leans down, about an inch from Ivan's face with that same cold and callous expression, "it has been brought to my attention that one of your spacecrafts have escaped into our atmosphere. Tell me its destination and perhaps you'll escape this place with your limbs attached."
"I do not know what you are talking about," The scientist said. A drop of sweat rolled down his red skin as they locked their eyes into one another. Obviously, they wouldn't accept such a blatant lie, but it ensured their safety until Zero was located. There had been a full minute of complete silence and awkward staring. Ivan gulped hesitantly, unable to hide his nervousness from the eyes of their captor. The man grinned.
"Very well then," he stated, turning his back and heading towards the windows where he could view Lupin IV. His eyes surveyed its surface as if he could pin point the intruder's location simply by analyzing the planet. "We'll find your friend soon enough. The Gors will escort you to your cells."
The spacepod dropped from the sky like a meteor engulfed in flames. As it crash landed into the hard ground -as was accustomed- the land was leveled and pushed aside by the vehicle's abrupt impact with the soil. A powerful wind was cast on the area, brushing past the fields and swaying anything within its perimeter. The spacepod had created a crater in its wake, about ten feet wide and fifteen feet deep. The dust and debris slowly settled as the spacepod's temperature lowered. Zero had to remain until the temperature was a little cooler or his fingers could very well melt off his hands. The android continued to press on the buttons next to the armrest of his chair. He had learned how to control the vehicle and command it to take him where he wished to go, but the controls were fried and sparked back at him no matter what he tried. The spacepod would not fly. Zero would have to find another way to reach Ivan. Although he could probably survive in the void of space without any protection, he could not fly, therefore the sky was inaccessible for him.
Steam was released from the spacepod as the hatch unlocked itself. The android pushed it open and climbed out of the vehicle. He pulled himself out from the outer layer of the spacepod. It was still incredibly hot, too hot for a normal person to touch, but it was tolerable for the android. Looking up at the sky, he couldn't even see the space station anymore, and Ivan was much too far away for his scouter to detect. He was now alone in the planet, forced to figure things out by himself. How would he get back into space and save his master before it was too late? Such an idea was beyond him. Usually, Ivan would just give him directions and tell him what to do, all he had to worry about was performing to the satisfaction of their expectations. Now, the android had to develop his own plan of action. He took one last look at the spacepod, confirming that it had been too damaged to continue any kind of operation. There was a considerably large dent at its side; inevitable, as they had been traveling at incredible speeds.
Model Zero leaps up, landing at the mouth of the crater his spacepod had carved into the ground. The gravity was about the same as Alpha Prime, pulling him and his heavy weights towards the planet’s core. The area around the crater was devastated to about five feet from its edge, the rest of the panorama was overwhelmed by an endless field of red grass that spanned to the farthest horizon with little vacant homes sprinkled from one point to another. It was almost like a sea, red blades of grass glimmering in the light of the asteroids that formed a belt around the planet's atmosphere. In the shadow of the darkness, they almost seemed purple -or blue. Far away, to the farthest his eyes could see, there was a line of trees that marked the start of a forest.
Shiiiing!
Suddenly, Zero hears the sound of hissing metal. He turns towards its origin to find a man unsheathing his sword. Zero was surprised he had not detected him before; he was too focused on the scenery and where to go. The planet was a large place and he didn't know how much time he had before it was too late. He couldn't afford to aim blindly at the air and hope he arrived at the right location. "Who are you," Zero interrogated, breaking the silence that lingered in the air. The man was slightly taller than him. He had a shaved head with red hair lined down from his forehead to the back of his neck. He had pale -almost white skin, and wore a brown tunic with a green scarf and shoulder pads over a black skin-tight suit. He wielded a long sword with a single hand, it had been pointing towards the ground, but his posture said he was prepared to attack with it.
The man grimaced as if he had been insulted. "I'm asking the questions around here, outsider."
Model Zero lowered his gaze to observe him more closely. The man meant business, already throwing around orders. It seemed the android did not understand his position. He had arrived to an unknown planet as a visitor and asked the native to name themselves in their own home. His scouter beeped, calculating the individual's power-level. It was an impressive number; however, not as great as Zero's. The android straightened his stature so he was properly facing the man. The wind blew past them, golden and royal red hair fluttering and dancing with the blades of grass. The native smirked, seeing as the android seemed to comply with his demands. He needed to show him who was in charge around here.
"Tell me your name," he demanded. Zero responded promptly.
"My name is Android #0, code name Model Zero."
The man raised his eyebrow. Taking a closer look at his visitor, he recognized the mechanical, sturdy looking parts. He had assumed it was just armor, but the prospect of an android was well known in planet Lupin IV. On the other hand, this particular model was much more colorful and flashy than the darker Gors he was accustomed to. It was also a lot smaller and weaker looking. He began to wonder whether this was a new model sent from the space station, however, they had specific docking stations meant for arrivals from space to avoid tarnishing their beautiful and prized land. Although it seemed like a vast and free meadow, everything had its system and order, everything had a protocol and everyone was to follow it. In this planet, the skies had an owner, and his name was King. Furthermore, peering at the space craft inside the crater, its design was foreign enough to convince him this was another thing unaffiliated with his people.
"Outsiders are not welcome here, get in your craft and return from where you came," he spoke boldly and direct.
"That is not possible," the android replied. The man's bares his teeth. He thought the android was rebelling, but Zero was not done speaking. "My Spacepod has been damaged."
Assuming this 'spacepod' was the name of the thing's craft, the man takes another glance at the foreign object and recognizes the dent on its side; electric currents sparked from the dent structure, and steam rose from its etches. How unfortunate, he thought. Reality was, when an outsider enters their atmosphere, they usually never make it back out. The fact that he had offered the alien a chance to escape was in itself a privilege not many receive, but since his vehicle had been damaged beyond repair, his fate had already been decided. The man sighs. "I'll make this as quickly as possible," he said, although it wasn't as though androids could feel anything anyway. Since the alien was already going to be taken down by their superiors, he took it upon his own hands to end its insignificant life here and now. Model Zero recognized his stance and prepared for the incoming attack. That is, until the familiar sound of an approaching aircraft thrummed in the air.
"Damnit!" the bizarre man cursed. He readied his blade and charged at the android. "Run away!" he cried. Model Zero was confused by the man's contradictive actions. On one hand, he had demonstrated consideration for the android's well-being, the urgent demeanor by which he requested that the android escape from their location implied he was trying to help. On the other hand, he charged at the android with his sword prepped and ready to decapitate him. Regardless, looking across the vast meadow, there wasn't much to hide under in case the man had not noticed. For miles there was nothing but an endless field of red grass and distant trees scattered around just as much as there were houses. Model Zero ducked, evading the man's initial thrust of the blade. His own saber was ready to counter attack, his eyes slanted on the target, all he needed was a swift slash and the man's guts would spill over the grass, ending the fight just as soon as it had begun.
However, his scouter warned him of an incoming attack approaching from a third party. Both, his eyes and the man attacking him shot to the side where the aircraft had been approaching and jumped away from each other. Where they stood only milliseconds ago, twin beams of ring-like waves ravaged the land and continued up into the crater. Zero's spacepod exploded in a blithering mess and shrapnel littered the sky. If there had been a miniscule chance of repairing the hunk of metal, it had been promptly washed away by the duel beams. Zero's feet dragged against the dirt, his arms crossed overhead to block out the debris flying his way. The peculiar man was getting started again, preparing to charge the android when the aircraft finally arrived and cast a powerful gust the man was unable to penetrate. Zero observed the craft. It was a large black machine with no features and two winged propulsion mechanisms protruding from either side of its body. The man, whom had been standing at the other end, waved at the android while screaming out words which were drowned out by the muffled sound of the craft's props. Zero couldn't make out his words, though he felt like the man was telling him to run away.
It was too late anyway. The floating device approached him and Zero classified it as an oppressive device. Feeling threatened, he was urged to take out his pistol and shoot at the winged craft. From his pistol a small bullet composed of concentrated energy would expulse from its muzzle. It was known to pierce through almost any object and proved to be a deadly weapon against his foes. Unfortunately, this aircraft seemed to be the exception to the rule. His energy bullet was promptly deflected by the hard metal that shielded its frame. Whatever the material was, it was stronger than anything he had experienced if it could stop his attack so matter-of-factly. His scouter couldn't detect a power-level on the machine, probably because it could not harness energy the way he could. It was evident that there was no living life-form manning the craft, so it must be some sort of drone programmed to do as its master ordered. Quite similar to Model Zero himself, he thought. Zero's eyes slit as he prepared to pull the trigger once more, convinced the first was just a fluke. In spite of his efforts, he soon felt his feet lift off the ground as his body was soon after captive to the machine. An intangible force bound his body to the bottom of the aircraft, unable to move his limbs, all he could do was watch the ground shrink where that strange man continued to gaze at him. From there, the aircraft flew off, Zero taken with it as its prisoner.
…
The sun starts to rise in the horizon as the aircraft that held Zero captive approached a floating city built around a large black castle. Below, there were many villages and vacant homes with people staring from afar. They were segregated, subject to glimpse at the greatness that was their capital city. The android was taken straight to its core as the double doors slammed open and the vehicle dropped him inside. It appeared he was in some kind of auditorium. The floors were polished regularly and there had been multiple pillars made of marble-like material scattered all around. He was on the only outstanding hallway and at the end he could see a throne and a figure sitting over it. Something nudged him from behind. Foot soldiers poking the small of his back with the ends of spearheads. Their face were completely covered in protective gear, their voice disguised to seem computerized by the helmet as they ordered him to walk.
“Move it! The King is waiting!” he nudged at the android again.
Model Zero wouldn’t have had a problem tearing them to shreds. They were weak and harmless. However, he had been willingly brought to the heart of this civilization’s hierarchy and their leader was waiting for him at the end of the checkered hall. Before killing them all, he needed to find out how he was going to rescue Ivan and whether or not there was anyone left to rescue at all. Zero nodded, feigning obedience and the smug foot soldier smirked as the machine walked without any protest. They were either incredibly foolish or arrogant beyond all means. Here they dropped an unidentified being right in front of their beloved King with nothing but a few soldiers poking at his back. They hadn’t removed his weapons and they hadn’t truly restrained him at all. What was stopping him from downright obliterating the entire establishment? Even more so, when the android got a glance of their ‘king’.
“Name yourself!” the pathetic creature demanded from the comfort of his throne. Model Zero couldn’t help but smirk at his appearance. Their king was nothing but a green-skinned wrinkled chipmunk about the size of Zero’s leg. The green creature frowned and slammed his small fists against the armchair of his throne. It seemed he was not happy about the android’s reaction. Zero was sure he was not the first to judge from the thing’s appearance. “What’s so amusing, android!?” He growled. “I am King Helios and you are an intruder who has trespassed into my planet without any clearance! You’re lucky you haven’t been dismantled, I demand your name!”
Zero fringed his eyebrows. Reading King Helio’s power-level, he had met earthlings stronger than him. It would only take a single shot of his gun to steal the life from the creature’s breath, but that would not help him as of yet. He needed to play along, and so he responded, “My name is Model Zero. You have captured my master, I would like for you to release him.”
Helios smirked, pleased to see the android abide by his rules. His arms relax beside him on the chair and he speaks. “You have no right to ask me for any favors, Android. However, I sense great power within you. If you’d like for me to release your beloved master, hehehe…” the king chuckled to himself as he attempted to regain composure over himself. “Then you must surrender before me. I will become your new master and you shall do everything I ask of you.” The foot soldiers behind him nudged his back again, pressuring the android to kneel before Helios and acknowledge him as king. Another foot soldier, dressed quite similarly as the last, walked into the room with some sort of helmet. Helios spoke again, “you will remove your helmet and put this one in its place,” he said. It was simple and black with a white, stylized M on its center. Zero thought he could just pretend to accept his rules, have him release Ivan, and then stab him in the back; however, removing his helmet proved to be a problem.
“Unfortunately, that is not possible,” Zero replied. His words struck the green king with such sharpness his nostrils were flaring. His wrinkled nose exalted his petrifying eyes and capitalized the flames surging in his vains. “What did you say!?” the King said, his weak and wimpy voice became deep and boomed throughout the auditorium.
“My helmet is attached to my head, I cannot remove it,” Zero explained. Regardless, the green creature did not seem very receptive. “Oh, I’m afraid that will not due,” Helios stated. His small body lifted off the chair and he floated across, landing five feet away from the android. “Let me help you remove it then,” he said, raising his hands in the air. His eyes began to glow green and the foot soldiers fled from the auditorium. Helios began to chant in an ancient tongue the android could not comprehend and the entire castle began to shake. It wasn’t an earthquake, for they had been suspended thousands of miles above the land. It was the result of the King’s magical incantations. Between him and Zero, a line of green flames were drawn from the air and carved a circle on the polished floor.
Model Zero took a step back as the entire room was darkened and the giant doors behind them were slammed shut with no place to escape. Inexplicable winds rushed throughout the pillars, his golden hair flaunting frantically as it did, and the creature’s voice seemed to penetrate the android’s mind. From within the circle, a mass of dark light formed from its center and morphed into a figure easily three times Zero’s size. Consolidating into a single, comprehensible form, the being of dark light solidified into a monstrous four-legged creature with horns protruding from his head. He had a brown-red hide and a thin tail with fur at its tip. On his forehead, there was that same stylized M emblazoned. The beast stood on his hind legs and roared at the roof, shaking the entire castle. Helios grinned and his laughter flooded the halls and reverberated throughout the pillars as he floats back to the comfort of his throne.
“Now,” he started, considerably calmer. “Give me a nice show. Goliath, dispose of our little outsider.”
The beast roared once more and his eyes set on the android. Zero braced himself for the coming battle and unsheathed his saber. The green blade buzzed to life in seconds, just as Goliath charged at him with its horns. The android barely intercepted him, blocking the thing’s horns with his saber. Despite the android’s efforts, he was promptly tossed aside with a flick of its neck, deflecting the android’s attempt to stop Goliath’s charge and instead sent airborne. Helios’ laughter continued to span the auditorium’s corridors. Zero shifted his body in the air as he began to fall and landed on his feet, ready for the ox-beast’s next attack. His heavy weights weren’t making it any easier either, but he did not have time to remove them as the beast was already on the move.
Model Zero unclipped his pistol with whip-like reflexes and aimed it at the beast’s core. He shot multiple energy bullets without remorse, however, they were merely deflected as Goliath charged again. The beast creature lunged forward with the strength of its hooves, creating a sheet of powerful winds breaking at his wake and neutralizing the android’s energy bullets. He stopped about a feet away from the android and stomped his hooves on the ground in an effort to crush the android. Zero backed away from him just as the hooves came rushing down. The castle shook once more and the structure of the ground began to crack around its feet. Lifting its hoof from the hole it had punctured on the floor, debris rolled down. Zero glanced at King Helios; he seemed perfectly fine with the collateral damage being inflicted on his home. Who knew how many times this beast had been summoned to do Helios’ bidding on these same halls.
One thing was for certain, this seemingly mindless beast was under the King’s control. Helios may be small and fragile, but he made up for that with his powerful magic. He is able to summon powerful creatures that would help distance himself from danger. If Zero could get to Helios and have his head on a pike, then his control over the beast would surely subside and the battle would end. Without another moment’s notice, the android raised his pistol once more and shifted its aim towards the green creature sitting so nonchalantly at his throne. However, Goliath was quick to intercept the bullet once more. The beast was much faster than Zero gave credit for. He was able to change his course and block the bullet despite his great size. In spite of this, there was no way he could outmatch the android in speed. Zero’s repositioned his body’s mass and propelled himself forward with saber in hand.
Rushing below the ox-beast as he raised his hooves for another strike at the ground, the android’s crystal, embedded on his forehead, gleamed a teal hue that resonated with his eyes. Zero had ascended into his override state, his nimble body disappearing before Goliath’s eyes before he even had the chance to stomp. Helios’ eyes widened. He barely had the chance to stand before the android was upon him with saber arched and ready to thrust through his stomach. It felt like cutting through butter, no resistance in the slightest as his sword pierced the fragile creature without any opposition whatsoever. It was too easy, he thought. Too easy indeed, as the creature’s image vanished and he appeared floating behind Zero.
“Nice try, Android.” He teased. Helios placed his hand on Zero’s back and enchanted him with some sort of marking. “That power of yours is really something. It’s too dangerous to let you keep around,” he said. Model Zero instantly turned to have another whack at him, but his sword sliced through empty air once again. If only he could touch the green thing, it would all be over. Then, all of sudden, he felt his power drain from his body. Zero dropped to one knee just past the throne. He was back in his base form.
“What have you done?” the android demanded. He attempted to recall his strength, but no matter how much he tried, nothing was happening. His power had been stunted to its minimal capacity.
“I’ve cursed you,” Helios responded. “As long as I live, you will never experience the full extent of your power ever again! That is the cost of defying me. You should have surrendered while you had the chance, but I no longer have any use for a worthless machine that won’t do as I ask.”
“Is that all?” Zero responded.
“What!?” Helios frowned.
“If all I have to do to lift this curse is kill you, then that is what I shall do.” The android stood from the ground and dashed forward. Helios disappeared again and Goliath took advantage of the distraction, slamming his head against the airborne android. Zero flinched, his body rummaging through the endless pillars as they fell apart and collapsed. The castle was mysteriously unaffected by the outcome. It was evident that the entire place was enchanted with some kind of powerful magic.
“My, how confident,” Helios said. “That is, assuming you can defeat me. You’d have to get through my servant first… are you alive?”
BOOM!
Through the rubble that buried the android, a large beam of incandescent yellow energy emerged and disintegrated the debris into ash. It was Zero’s Hell’s Flash burrowing through the corridor and headed straight for the green creature sitting on its throne. The ox-beast Goliath rushed to intercept the blast once again, ramming its skull against the brunt of the beam. His head was scorched with steam rising from the ensemble of his forehead, but he was still in perfect fighting condition. The android almost wondered what a fight between it and Wrath would look like. Then, red flamed burst through the beast’s nostrils and an intense red light began to leak from the creaks of his muzzle. Opening its mouth wide open, effulgent phosphorescent flames rushed out and engulfed the android in one fell swoop. The flames continued onward without remorse, filling the empty darkness of the corridors between pillars and drilling a hole through the castle’s walls, from which Zero was forced out of.
The android had crossed his arms overhead in an attempt to reduce the damage, but he had been ultimately defeated by the ox-beast’s overwhelming power and so he now fell off the floating city, falling to his doom.
“Good job, Goliath,” Helios praised, watching from the hole on his wall as the android descended in black smoke. “Nobody can survive a fall from this high. Too bad, I really liked him…”
…
“It’s alive!”
“Stay away!”
Slowly, Zero opens his eyes to the view of a giant floating structure overhead and a mob of citizens gathered to prospect him. The scouter on his left eye spark. The heat of that beast’s attack damaged it, but it still functioned enough to let him know everyone around him was far weaker than him. “What’s going on?” One authoritative voice demanded from within as the crowd moved aside and single man stood amongst them. His skin and hair were as pale as snow. He had scars across his face, which brought attention to the rapier hanging around his waist. He had an aura about him, obviously, the leader of the village. His yellow, dark eyes told Zero he was not friendly, and the way the villagers moved aside in fear enunciated that hypothesis. What was more alarming was the M emblazoned on his forehead in black ink. Looking to either side, he spot his pistol to the left and the handle of his saber –now deactivated- lying to his right. He initially reached for his gun, but the elf anticipated his move from the moment Zero glanced at the weapons. Lunging forward, he kicked the pistol away from the android’s reach. Zero turned without wasting another moment and reached for his handle.
The elf’s eyes widened as he learned that the odd device was actually a saber. As Model Zero stood up and raised his saber, the elf released his rapier and parried his initial thrust. Everyone around them gasped and stepped aside further to allow them enough room. The elf was silent and cautious, getting a feel for the intruder’s abilities. He was no fool. Zero could tell he had years of experience in these sort of situations. His muscular body testified to that if nothing else would. Then, suddenly, the android felt a sporadic sensation as if his ki were drained. He stumbled, an unfamiliar experience as he had never in his live simply lost his balance in battle. The elf’s eyes sparked with a chance he would not miss and charged at the android, ripping the saber from Zero’s hands. The handle landed safely out of reach, and Zero was now disarmed with the end of the elf’s rapier leveled between his eyes. The elf wrinkles his nose as if he could smell the stench of magic radiating from the android’s body.
“It appears you have been cursed,” he says. His voice was crude, and the expression on his face twitched with the desire to kill. “Whatever it is you have done, the warlock intended for your death.” His sword maintained in its position, the elf glances up towards the floating castle and then back at the hole in which Zero’s body was found. “How did you survive a fall from that height?” he asked, although he wasn’t really expecting an answer. “No matter,” he stated, sheathing his rapier. “I advise you leave here. Outsiders are not welcomed and you’re no exception. If Helios thinks you’re dead, I think it is best to keep it that way.” The elf turns his back and walks away, “you’ve been warned…” With a wave of his hands, guards move in to confiscate his saber and gun. “Those don’t belong to you,” Zero responded, slowly aiming his left arm at the pale creature. It appeared his weights were much more hindering than before. His hand collapses into the wrist, revealing a hidden cannon; soon after, a beam of incandescent energy bursts forth to decimate everything and anything in its path. The elfish man glances back. Veins bulge as boiling blood rises with his short temper.
“You idiot!” The man barks at the humanoid alien, extending his open palm towards the blast unleashed by Zero’s wrist. Immediately, translucent circles with intrinsic patterns manifests before him, seemingly stopping the wave of energy in its tracks. An instant later, another –similar- circle appears overhead. Zero had a fleeting glance of the structure before it burst forth, engulfing the android with his own attack. Zero lay on the bottom of a crater with steam rising from the etches of his armor, never before had he been so thoroughly outmatched except when faced against his masters. No… That was a lie. The android had been defeated many times. Not only by Wrath, Arctic, and Vespasian, but by that blue haired saiyan and the new ruler of Vegeta. The pale man descends upon him, landing the soles of his feet on both of Zero’s arms so he could not lift them from the ground. He stared down at the intruder with ferocious eyes full of contempt. No words would be spared for the foolish android as he raised his fist in the air and knocked him out with a single stroke. Darkness…
The scientist shivered, trapped in the cold cell with his colleague. They had been kept alive until orders arrived from below. Zero was now in their atmosphere, however he had no way of getting to them. Regardless, Ivan had faith that his creation would find a way to them. It was not so much faith in the android, but faith in his own abilities –having manufactured the thing, it would be insulting to him to think that his android could not perform simple tasks such as a rescue mission. Then, the man of purple skin approached their cells, baring a wide grin from ear to ear. “I’ve received news from the King. It appears your android has been defeated,” he said, thrilled by the expression of disdain in their captive’s face. Moments later, his happy-go-lucky mood shifted to a stern and serious gaze. His unwavering eyes were penetrating, Ivan knew he was no clown. “You have to choices. Become our slave, or die.”
Slowly, Model Zero’s consciousness restores and the android finds himself lying in the middle of a dirt road next to nowhere. The floating castle was still visible, though it was considerably far. Prospecting his body, the android discovers a metallic apparatus attached to his left arm. Mere visual observation indicated he would not be able to remove it with his limited power. Furthermore, his saber and pistol were missing, leaving him in a dire situation. Zero now found himself in a predicament. Sitting up straight, he was trapped in thought. He needed to save Ivan, but before he could save Ivan he needed his weapons, but before he could retrieve his weapons he would need the curse lifted. He was in a land he knew nothing about, stranded. He could travel towards the big floating city, but he would simply be defeated again. Standing up, he concludes, he had no leads, nothing he could act upon except the fact that he was in a really bad predicament. The only thing that made sense was to gather information. If he could learn of his curse and find the cure, he could return to that village and regain possession of his weapons. If he could do that, he could face the King and save Ivan.
Scanning the landscape around him, his scouter beeps for nearby life-forms in multitudes. He needed another village with many inhabitants from which he could probe. Eventually, his gaze sets on a possible candidate to start his inspection and the android ventures towards it. Although his power-level had been gravely reduced, Zero’s leg strength was still formidable. With a single impulse, he was able to propel himself through long distances at a time despite the heavy weights which impeded him from using his full strength. It was by Ivan’s explicit orders that Zero must never remove them unless his life was threatened. Thinking back, it might have been logical to remove them during his encounters, but it would not have made any difference anyway. His hair flowed in the wind and skin basked in the sun light. The grass that spanned for miles was royal red as the armor on his arms and legs. The wind broke with every leap he took. Zero now knew what he had to do and he would not stop until the task was done and he was reunited with Ivan and The Doctor.
Now in the village, the android observed the inhabitants. He still could not understand why the elf had allowed him to live, or why he was unable to fight him in the first place. Magic was a concept he was unfamiliar with. Whatever this curse was, he needed to get rid of it as soon as possible. Walking into what appeared as a market, he studied their demographics. The populace were mostly elfish in appearance; long pointy ears were their most characteristic property, however, they appeared significantly humanoid. The women wore two-piece clothing to cover the minimum, but that was only the majority. Their clothing were as diverse as the men who wore full-body armor and tunics, armed with various weapons. They were a warrior’s race, living off the land and sea. Then again, on his way to the village, the android could see nothing but an endless expanse of land. They probably got their water from a nearby well or something. In an instant, the android determined what a normal day in their shoes would look like. Hunting for food and distributing them fairly to the inhabitants, as well as fighting off threats to their village were among their most prominent activities.
The inhabitants engaged in commerce, selling and buying goods with their planet’s currency. In the center of it an unidentified life-form stood over a crate and preached while the general populace ignored her and moved along with their daily lives. It appeared their kingdom was suppressed by another race, the Biseijin, which Zero thought to be the creature he encountered earlier. The fact that she could stand before all these people and speak what might be considered blasphemy without being executed demonstrated freedom of speech –then again, maybe it wasn’t freedom, if not helplessness. Perhaps their people were so beaten to the ground after centuries that it didn’t even matter. Regardless, none of this was of interest to the android. He yearned to leave for his master’s aid, but he couldn’t save Ivan without first lifting the curse infringed upon him; meaning he would have to rely on these people to show him the way. “Creature, tell me about the Bisejin,” he demanded to the woman. She looked down at him with a raised eyebrow, but before she could answer, a boy emerged from behind and bumped into the woman. He stumbled, but kept running without any regard for the woman. “Hey,” she yelped, but was soon cut off by the voices of men yelling from afar.
“Catch him! Theif!” they said as the boy blended into the crowd. It only took a few volunteering civilians to stop the boy in his tracks. Entrapped by the mob, the authorities soon caught up, battle axes in their hands as they approached the child. Zero, along with other bystanders joined the crowd to watch the execution. Interesting, he thought. To think they would raise arms against the young. In most cultures, the youthful little kids were a sign of hope and prosperity. Children were the future leaders of any civilization and so they were usually protected –along with the women. The boy coward in fear with hands raised up in the air, his eyes closed and a small frame encroached on the ground shivering. There was no mercy, they were truly going to kill him. Losing interest, Zero turned, preparing to investigate other parts of the establishment when his scouter detected a fast approaching individual.
“Stay back!” a man’s voice growled. A powerful gust of wind was cast around the child to act as a shield against the impending axe wielder. The oppressive forces were begrudgingly compelled to step back. Model Zero turned again, witnessing the battle that would unfold. Between the guards and the child, there was a single elfish man draped in a brown tunic and hair as red as the blades of grass that characterized their land. He possessed a sword, which was extended out straight to the side and his other hand pressed on the ground to support his weight. Zero instantly recognized him. He was the first person he had come into contact after arriving to the planet. There was no telling where he had come from, but given from his stance, it appeared as though he had landed from the above. The violent wind that had now dissipated was, perhaps, another one of those spells these peoples were so accustomed to. The natural laws of this land were quite different from those of Alpha Prime.
“Fool! You would defy the royal throne?” one of the guardsmen protested, swinging his axe furiously at the wing. They were not elfish like the majority of the populace, they were an entirely different species, which probably served to distance them further from the general populace. That is, despite the monarchy and obvious discrimination. “He’s just a child!” the man roared. The guardsmen laughed. “So he’s allowed to steal and defy our almighty King? I think not. He will be punished.”
The elfish man glances back at the child, “Cayu,” he whispers, “give me what you took.” Reluctantly, the child nods and reveals a pendant which was hidden in his clothing. The man gawks as the boy hands him the pendant and he cringes as though under extreme agony. He looks at the object with longing eyes, suddenly, hesitant about his actions. Gritting his teeth, he wrenches away the emotions brought about by the pendant and throws it at the guardsmen. One of them catches it with apathy and tosses at the guy beside him. “There, you have what you wanted, now leave us alone,” the elfish man requested. The man shook his head disapprovingly. “That won’t do, you see, this doesn’t change the fact that that boy has insulted the royal throne with his impudence. Not to mention, you have also denied our demands after we asked you to step aside.” The other men smirk and chuckle. “That’s right, I’m afraid you’ll both have to pay. There are a lot of eyes in the audience and letting you go would set a bad example. It would make them think that it is okay to defy and ridicule the royal throne.”
The elfish man grimaced, his eyes fierce and intense, he shouts. “Pigs! You don’t care about the royal throne, you just want an excuse to slaughter us! You’re nothing but cowards!” He yelled. The guardsmen, whom were chuckling and laughing became serious, “what did you say?” the man asked, baring his axe as he approached the man and child. The elfish man stood and yelled at the audience. “It’s been too long!” he said, “Too long have we been enslaved and threatened by our oppressors. They would even take the life of a child! How much longer will you stand and watch at the sidelines while they do as they please! When will the final straw be the last? Rebel! Raise your torches! No longer shall we live in fear! If we stand united we can surely defeat them, all you have to do is make a choice! So please! I beg of you! Don’t let them win again! No more!”
Regardless, his passionate words fell on deaf ears. The civilians were too shaken and helpless to do anything. Even the woman who had been preaching moments ago was stilled by the cold shrill of fear overtaking her body. The guardsmen grinned as he observed the beaten souls cower in remain silent, “hehehe, that’s enough from you,” the man stated, lifting his axe in the air for the final blow. The elfish man closed his eyes shut. He was skilled, but even he knew that he alone stood no chance against the might of their oppressors. Is this how it will all end? He thought to himself, the child he called Cayu holding onto the fabric of his pants, burying his little face. “Make it stop!” the boy whimpered to the older man. Alas, there was nothing he could do… “You’re no different,” he whispered to himself. The guardsmen stopped for a moment, listening to the elfish man’s last words, though they were not directed to him but the audience. “If you live on the sidelines and watch without doing anything about it, then you’re just as bad and putrid as the evil committing such an act…”
“Hmph,” The guardsmen smirks. The elfish man would no longer resist. He had accepted his fate and now awaited for the royal throne’s judgment to fall upon them. “Let this be a lesson to all of you!” the man declares towards the general public. “If you defy the King, then may your soul rest in hell. With this axe, I strike judgment upon thee!”
He swings his axe down. Suddenly, a violent barrier forms between him and the victims. The elfish man, sensing the shift in air grabs the child and moves away from the destructive force. The guardsmen was not so agile however. His axe was completely destroyed and the red barrier of energy threw him back, landing on his backside. From the debris, standing above a newly crafted indentation, Model Zero stood to defend the elfish man and boy. Normally, the android would not have acted. He needn’t trouble himself with the affairs of others, but due to his dire circumstances, he needed to make allies. The elfish man, gawked at the humanoid clad in red armor. “It’s you!” he uttered. Zero glanced back and offered a single word before turning his attention back to the royal guards. “Run.”
With that, he raised his left arm and aimed at them. It was a little heavier due to the contraption the other village forced on him, so he supports it with his free hand to stabilize. Once again, he intended to unleash Hell’s Flash to vanquish his foes. “Target secured,” he said promptly after expecting his attack to activate, however he discovered an imperfection. His hand had not retracted into his wrist. He could not access the cannon within him. Everyone was still, expecting something to occur, even the guards were struck with a fleeting sense of fear before they began to realize that the android was nothing but a fluke. Unable to comprehend, Zero was also paralyzed as his mind raced with infinite possibilities and questions. “What are you doing?” the elfish man said, grabbing onto the android’s shoulder and dragging him away. “Let’s go!”
They took advantage of the confusion Zero had caused among them and made a run for it, pushing through the crowd. The guardsmen soon after snapped out of it and regained their senses. “Go after them!” one of them said. However, by the time they turned the corner, they had already vanished…
The three stopped in a dark alley to catch their breaths, of course, Zero stopped because they were no longer yanking him like a doll. “You’re alive!” the man exclaimed. The android stepped back and reached for his saber, but then remembered he didn’t have them. “Calm down, I mean you no harm,” the man said. “I want to thank you. If it weren’t for you, Cayu and I…”
Model Zero lowered his guard slightly. He had saved them after-all; although, the man didn’t realize it, but he saved the android promptly after the fact. Zero had not realized he had lost function of so many of his abilities. First the curse mark weakened him to excruciatingly painful levels, and now he had this weird contraption on his arm which impeded access to the wrist cannon. It made sense. If he were in their shoes, he wouldn’t allow such a dangerous being like himself to run freely without restrictions. Then again, he wouldn’t have allowed them to live in the first place. Now, he wondered just how many of his abilities had been tampered with. For the time being, he would focus on the matter at hand. “Why did you attack me?” Zero interrogated. He may have saved the man, but whether they could be allies depended on his answer.
“What?” the man said, seemingly perplexed by the question, but then his memory refreshed and he understood. “I thought you were a Gor…” Zero remained silent, evidently, he did not understand what the man was saying and expected clarification. The elfish man rest his back on the wall of the building and slid down to the ground with a lowered gaze as if remembering a distant past. The boy beside him grabbed on to his sleeves worriedly as the man spoke. “They came from the sky so suddenly, like you did. That’s why… I thought you might have been one of them. They’re these black, heartless machines made of nothing but wire and tubes. The darkness that succeeds them is capitalized by their faceless visage. But then, when one of the Ravens approached us I realized I was wrong…” The elfish man looks up, “which reminds me, how did you survive?”
“I fell off the castle,” Zero stated bluntly as if it were a normal thing. The man stared at him blankly before standing back up. “Anyway, I can’t express how thankful I am for you saving us. Is there anything we could do to repay you?”
“My strength. Help me recover it,” he said. He didn’t want to mention too much. As long as the elf could help him regain his former strength, Zero would be able to do the rest on his own. The elfish man looked him over, “Hmm, I see, I can smell the stench of magic residing within you. It seems you have been cursed…”
“How do I remove it?” Zero inquired.
The man lowered his chin into his hands as if in thought and looked towards the ground. “It won’t be easy…” he said, “you would have to travel all the way to Mount Hielo, a mountain range to the far north, but first you have to pass through the Great Wall, past Whitewater. Mount Hielo is home to the Moujuujin, large and powerful beasts. You might want to think twice before going there.” He glanced at Zero, who appeared unfazed by the news. The android was prepared for any opposition that may get in his way as his master’s life depended on the success of his mission. At last, the man was subdued and conceded. “Alright, I’ll accompany you until the curse is lifted. That’s the least we can do for our lives.” He grinned. “By the way, we never properly introduced ourselves. My name is Plation and this is my younger brother Cayu,” he said, motioning towards the little boy that almost had them killed. “Hi mister!” Cayu said, “It’s nice to meet you!” The child waved with a wide smile. He must have been perhaps six or seven years old. He had his own head of red hair like the older sibling and somewhat pointy ears. He extended his hand to shake Zero’s. The android decided to humor the child’s request and granted him his hand, although he did not fully close it in fear of breaking the fragile creature’s limb. Cayu was ecstatic that Zero shook his hand.
“What was your name again? Z-zz…ze…” “-Zero,” the android corrected. “Alright, Zero! Well, let’s get started, we have a long journey ahead of us!” The android nodded. Before long, the group snuck their way out of the village. Plation wanted to wait until things had cooled down, but Zero insisted he could not wait much longer, so they risked getting spotted and escaped from the village. They were now miles away, following the dirt road leading east. To reach Mount Hielo, first they needed to pass through Whitewater, which was due in their direction. In their traverse they had passed by numerous villages which were scattered throughout the massive grasslands known as Avalon. Cayu approached Zero from behind, curiously gazing at the black contraption on his left arm; even he could tell that it was not part of the android’s suit of armor.
“Hey, mister,” he said. Model Zero’s eyes remain slanted towards their destination, though he offers the child a soft hum to indicate he was listening. “What’s that thing on your arm?” he wonders innocently. Zero looks at his arm, reminding himself that the contraption was there. “I don’t know,” he stated simply. “It was there when I awoke. It limits my abilities…”
“Hmm, allow me to take a look,” Plation requested. The android stopped and extended his left arm so the man could prospect it. He definitely didn’t know what to do with it, maybe the elfish man could shed some light on the matter, he thought. Plation observes the apparatus with intense concentration. It appeared he actually knew something until he raised his hands in the air, “Nope, I haven’t a clue,” he declared hopelessly. Cayu grinned, scratching his head. The elfish man seemed so serious during their first encounter, but now he appeared much more relaxed. Zero questioned whether he made the right choice to align with him. Plation was much friendlier than anticipated. “Now, you said ‘when you awoke’, what happened?” he inquired. Zero continued to walk as he was beginning to get anxious with their lack of progress.
“When I fell off the floating castle, I landed in a village similar to yours. There was a pale creature with mysterious powers. He outmatched me,” Zero confessed. “He looked a lot like you…”
Plation’s eyes lightened up as there was only one person he could have been talking about. Suddenly, the image of the fearsome elf entered his mind. A pale-skinned elf with a scar across his face and a stylized ‘M’ emblazoned on his forehead. He reeked with power that seemed to excrete from his pores as vapor. He was also known for the long silver hair and golden trinket that adorned his head. Finally, making its way to Plation’s lips, the elf’s name was uttered, “Zalam’gar…” he said softly. “He’s probably the bravest and most passionate person I’ve known. It might not look like it, but he’s a great man. He allowed himself to fall under the Biseijin’s spell in order to protect our people,” he points to his forehead, “remember that symbol on his forehead?” “I saw that symbol on some beast named Goliath as well,” Zero explained. “You battled Goliath?” he exclaimed with astonishment, “its amazing that you’re still alive…”
Zero looked back at the man and murmured to himself, “Alive, huh?”
“Anyway, that symbol on their forehead is the product of a powerful binding spell cast by the Biseijin. It finds the faintest bit of darkness within a person’s heart, manipulates and magnifies it. The subject becomes powerful beyond all measure, but at the cost of their own free will. Many soldiers become the Biseijin’s unconditional slave and forced to do their bidding. However, Zalam’gar… despite submitting himself to their spell, he was able to retain his autonomy. With his new found power, he was able to fight off the Biseijin and make them back off from their village. They made an agreement. Their village would remain untouched by our tyrannical oppressors as long as he followed their orders. Despite his impressive strength, even Zalam’gar realized he didn’t stand a chance, so he accepted their terms. Every day, he fights that innate urge to kill and massacre the populace, all because of the curse he has welcomed into his being…”
Cayu stared at his brother, mesmerized by the candid tragedy that was Zalam’gar. “Poor Zal…” he said. Plation nodded. “That’s why I can’t stand by and do nothing anymore. I have to take down Helios and his lackeys no matter the cost. Zalam’gar is brave, but he’s a fool. Soon enough, the Biseijin will sever their pact and run them over. This will not end, our suffering will never end until they are driven out of this land, and for that reason… Zero…” Plation steps in front of the android, forcing him to stop. “I’m sorry to ask this of you, but when we remove the curse you’ve been burdened with, would you lend me your power? Would you help us defeat Helios?” The man looked into the android’s eyes with desperation. Cayu gazed up, hopeful that the android would concede. Zero lowers his gaze, looking away from the two. There was something a strangeness about the air which he could not fathom, but it pounded against his chest. It was overwhelming. The android looked up, matching his gaze, but before he could respond…
“Watch out!” the android exclaimed, pushing Plation aside as an arrow whizzed past them. He barely evaded it, his cheek slit slightly by the head, red liquid trickling down his face. Plation unsheath’s his sword, preparing to face their antagonists. “Cayu, get behind Zero!” he ordered, looking back at the android, “don’t worry, I know you can’t fight in your condition. Leave it all to me!” he assured, turning to face them as another arrow was soaring towards his head. Swinging his sword up, he intercepts the arrow head, deflecting to the ground. Peering ahead, they seemed to be mercenaries. “It looks like they followed us from the village!” he exclaimed. Having defied the throne, they do not take it lightly. The group would be pursued by all kinds of threats until they crossed the border, and even then their safety was not assured. Two more arrows were flung at him and he snapped them both with a swift stroke of the blade. Zero commended his sword abilities. He was agile and precise. The android wished to test out his other abilities to make sure they were still functioning, but given the task to look after Cayu, he was chained to his position. He decided to let Plation have this one, considering he didn’t know what he would do if it turned out none of his abilities were working. Scanning the lot, they were relatively strong –definitely a threat while in his condition, but he believed the elfish man would fare well against them.
There were two huntsmen and two spearmen; the spearmen marched ahead while the huntsmen readied their bows and fired. Plation, holding the tip of his blade with the other hand and raising horizontally in front of him began to chant words in a tongue the android could not comprehend. It was similar to the biseijin, Helios when summoning the ox-beast. Hovering over his blade, those weird patterns emerged once again. Unlike Zalam’gar’s who’s were purple, his were yellow; thinking back, the green flames cast by Helios’ summoning spell was also a circle with odd patterns, he just hadn’t realized it until now. From the yellow circle, a dozen fire balls were spewed at moderate speeds. The spearmen come to an abrupt halt and raise their weapons to fight off the flames. In spite of their attempts, Plation was not aiming for them, but the huntsmen in the back. The two arrows launched their way were soon disintegrated by the flames while a handful of fire balls still remained. The huntsmen panicked, but only one managed to break free from the stiffness of their legs and maneuvered to the left. His companion was not so lucky. The flames came rushing in, slamming against him and tossing him aside.
The spearmen promptly after commenced their progression. “Heretics…” Plation muttered. They were not in it for glory or loyalty to the throne, being a mercenary was simply an excuse to legally capture or kill civilians. They were hired by the royal guard to perform tasks which seemed to bothersome for them to do on their own. The prospect angered the elfish man. If only they had that kind of motivation towards dismantling the crown, they wouldn’t be in their situation. “HYAAAAAAAAAAAA~” Plation screamed, rushing towards their antagonists with a roar, his blade readied beside him. The spearmen stopped about five feet away and thrust their weapons forward in an attempt to pierce through the rebels flesh. Plation parried their spears, and moved in for the kill; a single stroke of his sword, and the men dropped to the ground. The remaining huntsmen had been preparing his next arrow, but before he could do that, he decided to call it quits and made a run for it. Smart, Zero thought. Plation sheathes his sword and perspires. He turns, making sure Cayu and Zero were unharmed and smiles widely. “Well, that was a workout!”
Cayu smiles back and celebrates. Zero, however, was struck with curiosity. “Those patterns,” he said. “-Oh, they’re transmutation circles,” Plation avidly replied. “They’re fundamental in the art of magic wielding. The biseijin and we konatsians are the only ones capable of performing them.”
“So you and the biseijin have similar powers.”
“Similar, not the same. They use dark magic that manipulates the souls of other beings, they don’t care about the victim, and they don’t value life. Plus, I wouldn’t want such abilities… Power corrupts the mind.”
“Power corrupts the mind…” Zero repeated to himself. It sounded so familiar to him, as though he had heard of it before. Deep in thought, the android and his new found allies press onward to reach The Great Wall. Before long, it was now visible on the horizon, but Cayu was clinging to Plation’s legs. The elfish man understood and turned to the android. “Zero, we’ll camp out here tonight.”
“Inacceptable,” the android protested. “The Great Wall is right there. I do not intend to rest until we have arrived to Mount Hielo.”
“But the sun is setting and nightfall will be upon us, we have to regain our strength, Zero. I know you have that invincibility going on, but we don’t,” Plation argued. “If we don’t rest now, then I won’t be able to protect you efficiently. You can’t fight as long as that curse is on you.”
Zero was silent. He did not require to sleep, in his mind, they were going to arrive all the way to Mount Hielo and then return without stop. However, he had forgotten that he was accompanied by mortals, they were not as resistant as he. Plation smiled, “Let’s go towards that lone tree over there, we wouldn’t want to be in the wide-open fields…”
The three had settled down, comforted by the shade of a tree and the light of a fire created from its twigs and tree trunks. The stars were out and the sunlight was reflected by the asteroid belt that orbited the planet. The silence was riddle with the crackling of the fire and Zero was left with his thoughts once again. He was used to it. Back in Alpha Prime, it was part of his daily activities. After training with the gravity chamber or simulator, he would return to his own room, staring at the wall until the next order was issued. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Plation commented, referring to the asteroid belt overhead as he lay on the grass beside him. Zero was sitting erect and his head straight, it made the elfish man chuckle. “Why don’t you relax and lay down?” “It makes no difference,” Zero responded. Whether he was lying down or sitting, it would not heighten the degree of comfortness his body experienced as he could not experience it at all. He might as well stand all night watching for predators. Plation grinned, “Of course it does,” he said, “I may not know what it’s like to be an android, but I sure know it’s easier to look at the sky when you don’t have to constantly jerk your head up. Try it,” he suggested. Looking at the sky, Zero thought he might see the elfish man’s point. Plation smiled as the metal man complied with his wishes and rest his back on the ground. He was right, the android thought. He could admire so much more of the sky whilst on the ground. He didn’t have to constantly monitor and regulate his movements.
Plation rolled on his back, joining the android’s gaze. “You know, Zero, we didn’t always live on this planet…” “How did you get here?” “Well, this planet’s name is actually Lupin IV. You may have guessed, but it’s the fourth and remaining planet of the Lupine System. Our kind had always been in a state of war and reckoning, but that very destructive nature brought about the death of our planets time and time again. Although we each resided in our own planets, we were still next door neighbors with a grudge that was cultivated by our ancestors. Eventually, Lupin one, two and three were all destroyed and we were forced to coexist in this one. That’s why there’s so many different races. This little planet was home to the Konatsians, the Hera, and the Moujuujin. We had finally learned of our mistakes and made a pact to protect this planet. It’s the last planet we have and we can’t let it die on us or we’ll become galactic nomads with no home to turn to. That is, until the biseijin came upon our small paradise and decided to take over. They turned us against each other once again, resulting in The Great Wall that separates Avalon from Whitewater. The moujuujin distanced themselves from the mainland, now living in that small island to the north called Mount Hielo.”
Plation closes his eyes, trembling as he continued with the story. Zero could sense the dread in his shivering voice, “The… the biseijin… they had arrived so suddenly… if only you had seen it you might understand the darkness that was upon us… they came accompanied by those dark machines they called the Gors and ransacked our villages. Those things were raining down straight from space, harbored by the spaceship that now orbits this planet –the biseijin’s jail. In the past two centuries, we have had three rulers. Argon was the one to colonize our planet and enslave our people, but Radon was the one who really struck fear into the populace. Our current ruler, Helios, is nothing compared to his ancestors… but they don’t see that. They’re still scarred by Radon’s ghost. Then again, I often question whether we should keep fighting. We lost our homes three times, because we fought. Because we ‘defended’ our honor, our planet suffered and we were forced to evacuate the entire population and migrate to this one. I think that’s part of the reason why the civilians won’t stand up to our oppressors. I’m sure some of them realize Helios’ is a weakling, but our past is so engraved into their memories that it stills them…”
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time,” Zero said. Plation stared at him blankly. Obviously, he had not expected the android to participate in the conversation. Being so conservative and all. Zero glanced at him, “I read it off my master’s shoulder as I glimpsed at the book he was reading …”
“Your master, huh? Sounds like a wise man,” Plation commented. If only he knew… “Zero, please tell me more about the planet you came from.”
The android’s eyes wandered back at the stars. The Omega Collective was nothing to gloat about, it was so dark and murky compared to this planet. But as he lay on the red grass, he wondered whether one of the stars overhead might have been them. They seemed so bright from this perspective. “Well, it’s not a planet,” he clarified. “It’s a chain of large, hollowed out asteroids orbiting around a gaseous planet named Crixus-7. The first is called Alpha Prime, where my master and I reside. We live in a laboratory where they undergo all kinds of research, mostly with the purpose of improving my abilities. Lord Prometheus Zex is the ruler of such place, an alien species unknown by others. The second asteroid is called Beta Minor, governed by King Arctic, an Icejin. I’m not sure whether they have actually battled before, but there is history between the two concerning dominance over the Omega Collective. Even now, there is this silent tension between both colonies. Then there’s the Gamma Slums, built by a mysterious benefactor to deal with the population explosion of Alpha Prime. Many believe it was only created to separate the rich from the poor.”
“Hmm,” Plation responded, “somehow… it sounds a lot like this planet. Two different species coexisting in one space, yet they look to the day they will have complete dominance over the other. Aside from that, it sounds like a nice place to be. I wouldn’t mind visiting someday…” the elfish man says as he turns away and starts to slowly fall into a deep slumber. Of course, Zero thought, he never mentioned the crime and mischief that encompassed that land. Zero settled his eyes on the sky as the hours went by, awaiting for the two suns to rise over the night sky so they could continue their journey. Cayu soon awoke, approaching the android.
“Mister… I had a bad dream… can I sleep with you?”
…
The new day dawns and the group continue along the dirt road, leaving nothing but the ashes of twigs and branches as proof of their passing by. Before long they had arrived at The Great Wall, great for a reason as it was probably as large as the floating castle was high. Gors were stationed at the gate. “Damnit,” Plation cursed. “There has to be at least a dozen of them.” He said. Never having left Avalon, he didn’t realize the border might have been protected. Now that they thought about it, it made sense that the King would leave guards at the gate, otherwise, he would be left without a population to rule. Across the wall, his reign was not yet asserted, and so Gors were stationed to make sure nobody left the kingdom. Cayu hid in the bushes, as Plation would surely require Zero to back him up against all the Gors. However, the android was not sure he would be able to help in their predicament without his weapons.
“Well, here foes nothing,” Plation said, casting a dozen fireballs to rain down on the Gors as he charged ahead to greet them with his blade. Zero followed closely behind. The fireball caught them by surprise, but the machines didn’t seem very much affected. The Gors unleashed their guns and began shooting at the two heretics with laser guns. Zero and Plation maneuvered between the free-fire, evading them efficiently while approaching at a rapid pace. Plation lunged at one of them, slashing with his sword. The blade sparked against the black metallic body, but the Gor remained unharmed. Zero was more interested in prodding them than he was in fighting. He peered at their arms and joints and found nothing but wires and tubes. If one looked closely, they could see through the machine’s body, towards the other side. Having been reckless, they were soon surrounded by the Gors. Zero and the konatsian found themselves back to back. “What are their weaknesses?” Zero asked. They appeared to be unhindered by both magic and physical damage. They almost seemed invincible. “I don’t know,” Plation confessed, “this is the first time I fought one.”
What? The android thought. Zero had followed the man into battle because he thought the konatsian knew what he was doing, but it turned out their battle tactics were quite different. Model Zero preferred to learn of his enemy before engaging them, but Plation winged it and went with the flow. The Gors stowed away their guns and brought out their swords. They were just like Zero in that regard, except they had no face or skin. Plation began to chant once again, a transmutation circle forming before him, lightning promptly struck down on the Gors surrounding them. Zero looked to the sky; it was completely blue and clear of clouds. It appeared logic did not apply to magic. The Gors were momentarily paralyzed, static sparks surging through their joints as they attempted to keep moving. The interesting part is that Plation didn’t cast thunder due to previous knowledge, it was just instinct. “Now!” He yelled, lunging at the machines with his blade. Zero dashed at one of them, snatching its sword as he passed right through it. It was light and weak, but it would serve its purpose until he could regain his saber. Looking closely at the machine, Zero thrusts the blade through the circuits connecting its torso to the rest of its body. The Gor immediately malfunctioned and collapsed. They were must easier to defeat once he put some thought into it.
Glancing at his ally, Plation’s sword skills were impressive, but he just kept mindlessly striking at the metallic body parts. “Aim for the joints!” Zero suggested. Plation looked back and nodded, promptly after slashing through the machine’s elbows. The arms snapped right off with just the right amount of force, the konatsian then proceeded to decapitate it with a stroke across its neck. Having been distracted helping his ally, Zero allowed the other Gors to sneak up on him. He narrowly ducked under its swing, his golden hair flowing around the blade. Another Gor had its sword positioned between the encroached android’s eyes and thrust with the intention to pierce his head, but Zero fazed through him. They were starting to get out of control. Right after evading one blade, another was already headed towards him. It was only a matter of time before one of them landed, he thought. Model Zero stops between them as the jewel on his forehead begins to resonate and unleashes the red destructive barrier he had used back in the village. The barrier expands up to five feet around him, violently hurling his foes off to the distance. Pieces of black armor and wires litter the ground as they fall apart.
“Alright, stand back,” Zero said. Plation nodded and took cover. Soon after, the jacket on Zero’s chest opened to reveal hidden cannons. The cannons charged up and unleashed a barrage of energy blasts upon the remaining Gors. Shrapnel and debris littered everywhere. At least that was still working, he thought. Zalam’gar couldn’t seal his other moves because he did not know they existed. It was Zero’s fault for revealing the cannon in his wrist. The android crouched over one of the Gor remains and studied its distinct parts. Plation watched from behind with Cayu clinging to his leg. “You’re nothing like them, Zero.’ He assured, as if he could read the android’s thoughts. “They have no soul. They’re just pieces of metal melded together. You have a heart.” With that said, Plation and Cayu proceeded towards the gate. Zero observed the piece of metal in his hands.
“A… heart?” he uttered.
Moments later, the group passed through the gate and they transitioned from a state of monarchy to one of anarchy. Across the wall, the Gors and Helios would not follow, but that did not necessarily mean it was better. Crossing through the gate, it was almost like walking into a completely different planet. The atmosphere was so much more different, and it almost seemed as though it were night although the sun had just dawned. Because, in this planet, the two suns rise on the west and set on the east, The Great Wall’s shadow was cast for miles upon the land, blocking out the sunlight. All the water that Avalon lacked was on this side of the wall. “Now I understand why they call it Whitewater,” Plation commented. Where they stood, the land was separated by a stream and connected by a bridge, and the water was so clear it felt as though it could bring people back from the dead. While Avalon was a vast kingdom of endless space, and beautifully red grass, Whitewater was filled with mountains and waterfalls rolling off the cliff-sides and trees at all corners of the region. The plant-life was still red, but it was accompanied by many different colors such as green and blues. Cayu ran off ahead, observing the vines that curled against the bridge. “I-it’s beautiful!” He exclaimed. His little bright eyes absorbed into the scenery. However, every rose has its thorn no matter how delicate and alluring it may be.
“Halt!”
Those words were the sole warning before the sound of gunfire reverberated off The Great Wall and the boy stumbled to the ground. “Cayu!” Plation exclaimed, unsheathing his sword and charged ahead. Zero eye’s widened. For once, he did not know what to do, the shock washed over him so suddenly and his limbs would not respond. There was nothing he could do anyway. Plation stopped in front of the boy, shielding him from any more bullets which may go their way. He glances back with urgency in his eyes. If he ever lost Cayu… he would just… tear welled up in the elfish man’s eyes, but a sense of relief soothed his soul as the young boy got back up with nothing but a scratch on his poor cheek. Blood dripped from the wound, but it was a certain miss. Cayu would be fine, he thought. Plation’s concerned expression changed into one of pure rage and hatred as he peered at his oppressors. They were beings he had not set eyes upon for a long time. “The Hera,” he uttered. Model Zero snapped out of his uselessness and joined the man, standing beside the little boy.
The man who shot was holding a rifle in his hand. He approached the group, stopped half-way at the bridge. “Now, isn’t this a sight for sore eyes?” he said. “What brings a konatsian to our side of this pretty little planet?” The man was a bipedal humanoid with teal skin and orange locks of hair. His crew was not too far off either, they were standing by a large struck in the back.
“We’ve come in peace!” Plation assured. “Damn right you have, and you’re leaving us in peace as well. Turn your little swords back to fairyland and leave us.” The hera demanded.
“Please, all we want to do is get to Mount Hielo!” he insisted.
“Mount Hielo? Isn’t that where the moujuujin live? Now, why would you want to go there? Got a death wish?”
“No, this man,” Plation said as he revealed Zero to them. “He has been cursed by the King, we need to lift his curse so he can regain his powers and then defeat the biseijin!”
“Defeat the biseijin!?” The man recited with disbelief, “Hahahahahahaa! Now that’s a laugh. Alright, and how exactly do you plan on doing that? Enlighten me.”
Zero glanced at his ally. The android was sure he could do it with his strength alone, but they would not attest to that. In fact, Plation never really explained what led him to believe they could actually pull it off. It was all wishful thinking so far. The elfish man’s gaze lowered and he spoke softly, “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But somehow, someway, we’ll win. If only, we worked together, I’m sure we can defeat them!” His green eyes met with his counterpart, and they were serious. The hera was still unconvinced. “Let’s say we believed you and helped you defeat the biseijin, what then? How do we know we won’t be backstabbed by your kind?” “-I guess, you’ll just have to trust in us,” Plation responded. “Trust that we have learned from our past. Trust that we can move pass our differences and coexist in this planet without walls that hide us from one another. That we can reach true understanding and show our guts to each other!”
“Hmph, an idealist, huh?” The man said. “I have to admit, you talk a good game, but can you play the part?” “-Yes!” he exclaimed, standing up straight with his arms wide open. Zero called on him to stand down. The fool, he thought, he was going to throw everything away. Cayu needed him, he couldn’t risk his life as though it meant nothing. Yet, the android admired that he would sacrifice himself for his ideals. Plation was an impressive being. “We can do it, I know we can!” the elfish man said with such passion that was sure to reach the hearts of the hera; but the man was full of such skepticism that he could not overcome. Plation continued, “You don’t have to live in a corner on this planet! You don’t have to live in fear that maybe those walls will be torn down someday. Let’s take it down ourselves!”
“Oh yeah? Well I like my little corner on the planet and I won’t risk it for some half-assed ideals!” The man concluded. He raised his rifle and aimed. “Look out!” Zero warned Plation, but before the man could pull the trigger, a feminine hand gently pressed down against the mouth of the rifle. “That’s enough,” she said. Her skin was also real, and she had long wavy orange hair. Her eyes were a slightly darker hue than her skin. She was gorgeous, and appeared to hold some influence as the man complied with her wishes. “I think his proposition is worth hearing.” “-But Sayako!” “That’s enough,” she ordered. “We’ll be taking them to our leader.” The woman turned to face the group, “however, you’ll be traveling as our captives.” Sayako raises her gun at the group and jerks her head so they start walking. Plation looks at Zero and the android nods. They would play along for the time being. If anything, they would find a way to escape if possible, but anything was better than their current situation.
In moments, they were thrown into the back of the truck and the crew drove out. The truck was dark and there were no windows. Two of the hera were driving the vehicle while the rest, four others, were driving in the back with Cayu, Plation, and Zero. Not knowing where they would end up, the android was beginning to get anxious again. He wondered what Ivan had been doing. He had been wasting so much time dawdling with these petty mortals, but he didn’t have a choice. All this time, he had been depending on Plation’s ability as he could not properly fight with all of the restrictions on him. Little did they know, the group would soon find themselves in a predicament. Suddenly, the vehicle veered to the side abruptly, and everything in the truck shifts to one side, one over the other. “An ambush!” One of them said as the truck came to a screeching halt and the double doors were slammed open. The hera immediately jumped out and commenced shooting at the bandits.
Zero and Plation rip apart the ropes that had been tied to their wrists and escape the vehicle with Cayu. Promptly after exiting the vessel, it explodes into dozens of pieces and flames. “Everywhere we go there is danger and war!” Plation complained, his anger clearly visible. He was tired of the way they lived; a planet which appeared to be paradise was ruined by the darkened souls that resided within them. If only they could act as one race, he thought. Two of the hera which held them captive were already taken down by the bandits and one of them was injured. The woman of teal skin and sapphire eyes had her own plate full as the heretics ganged up on her. She proved skillful with the gun as she wielded two at a time. The other man that had initially intercepted them fired off all his rounds with the rifle. Soon enough, they would fall and perish by the hands of their contender. Model Zero recognized this as an opportunity and began making his escape. “Let’s go!” The android said, but Plation looked back confused.
“Where are you going?” the konatsian inquired. “This is our chance to escape. We need to get to Mount Hielo,” Zero explained. However, Plation had a different view. “No!” He said, “We can’t just leave them like this! We have to help!” The android shook his head. “They are not our problem,” Zero insisted, but his words angered the elfish man. “Not our problem!?” he said, “that belief is exactly our problem! If we turn our backs on them now, nothing will ever change. Even if we defeat Helios and the biseijin, we will always be under constant war and anarchy. This, Zero, is where our choices matter most. This, breaking the cycle of hatred, this is where change can be achieved. If you want to go, then so be it. You can do the rest on your own, but I’m going to save them or die trying. Farewell.”
With that said, the konatsian rushed into the fight. Sayako had been laying against a brick wall with an arm on her injured shoulder. She could no longer hold her gun. She had been defeated and closed her eyes as the men prepared to deal the killing blow. “Sayako!” her comrade yelled from a distance, he ran in a fruitless attempt to reach her, but by the time he would get there it would already be too late. The men raised their guns, “Fire!” one of them uttered. The hera woman closed her eyes and cringed. This was it, she thought, until someone’s shadow was cast over her and she peeks to see who it was. Plation stood brave and strong before the bandits with his sword at hand. “No matter, it’s just one guy!” The bandit leader proclaimed and they prepared to shoot him down. “But… why?” Sayako murmured as the konatsian took out an ocarina and pressed it against his lips. He began to play the notes of an ancient melody just as the bandits began to fire, but the bullets were met with a transparent, crystal-like barrier they would only perceive when the bullets made contact. Plation had created a small safe-zone for the hera woman and himself; as long as he continued to play the notes of his song, the barrier would remain. Regardless… which would run out first? His breath? Or their bullets?
Model Zero would turn away, walking towards his destination. He had a mission to fulfill and he had already wasted enough time playing buddies with the natives of this planet. All he had to do was head towards the north and he would eventually reach the shore. Alone, he would move a lot faster skipping through the landscape with his powerful legs. He would get to Mount Hielo in no time and return to Avalon so he could reclaim his possessions, defeat Goliath, Helios, and save Ivan and The Doctor –all on his own. He had no problem with the prospect. He had been alone all throughout his short life and perceived nothing wrong with continue doing so. Therefore, he walked. The android crouched slightly to gain impulse from the ground in preparation for his leap. One leap would take him several meters away, far from the cataclysm that had taken place; that is, until a child’s hands tugged on his fingers and stopped him. “Don’t leave,” Zero glanced down at the innocent Cayu, whom Plation had completely forgotten about. It was only a matter of time before one of the bandits disposed of the boy. His face was sad and riddled with dirt.
Flames grew and engulfed their surroundings, illuminating the child’s visage as his unfaltering eyes stared into Zero’s. They were so bright and green compared to the coal pools of the android. Zero looked back at Plation as he calmly played his instrument to fend of the attackers, however that was only a temporal fix to the problem. Before long, his breath would run thin and he would no longer be able to maintain the magical barrier. The android clenched the sword in his hand. He didn’t understand why or what, but something compelled him to move and it was not towards the north. Descending from above, Zero slashes down on one of the bandits, stirring them into a panic. Startled by the commotion, Plation stops playing the ocarina and opens his eyes to see his ally join the fight. He smiles, not so surprised after all and turns to the hera woman. She looks up as he lends her his hand. “Sayako was it? Let’s end this cycle of hatred and contempt. We’ll defeat the royal throne and take back our home, together! No more walls.”
The woman couldn’t understand, but apparently Plation possessed a charisma which urged others to follow. She raises he arm, weakly, accepting his gesture of friendship as he pulls her up from the ground. “Take her to safety!” He says, guiding Sayako to henchman. The man protested, claiming that he didn’t receive orders from a konatsian, but Sayako promptly silenced him and ordered him to comply. The surviving hera went for cover along with Cayu and watched as the elf and android fought side by side to take down the bandits. “Hold them off until I’m ready,” Plation asked. Zero nodded. The bandits began firing off once again. Model Zero may not have a consistent shield like Plation, but he possessed an ability unrivaled by anyone in the universe. Swinging the sword around, he intercepted every bullet with his lightning fast reflexes, deflecting them towards the ground. Meanwhile, the konatsian began to chant the lyrics of his next spell. Raising his sword to the sky, it became enchanted by the magical incantation that he cast. “It’s ready!” he said, his skyward sword pointing at the clouds, glowing in a cloudy white aura.
Zero nodded and moved out of the way as the last bullet was shot down by the sword he took from the Gors. With a mighty roar, Plation thrust his sword down and an indomitable gust of wind transcended past the blade and blew away their aggressors. Any structures were swept away by his mighty attack, and the fire surrounding them vanquished. Zero gazed at the man. He had an aura about him which could not be swayed. After witnessing such prowess, the hera were convinced of their resolve and promptly escorted to their leader. Sayako vouched for them and they were soon granted the aid of the hera. They even donated a boat to their cause so they could travel to Mount Hielo while the rest rallied up the troops for the incoming battle.
At last, Cayu, Plation, and Zero have traveled all the way to the frozen island Mount Hielo in search of the moujuujin. They were in the middle of a snowstorm. Zero would survive, but Plation was forced to play another sonnet with his ocarina, creating a magical atmosphere around them to block off the snowflakes and keep them warm. It was then that they met with the large ox-beasts face to face. It must have been ten times their size and width as it stared down upon them with his nostrils flaring. Plation gulped, but the beast had not attacked. Atop the moujuujin, there was a woman with long green hair, though her face was concealed by a large skull worn over her head. They explained to her that they had traveled from Avalon to remove the curse infringed upon the android. The group soon learned that the moujuujin were actually gentle creatures misunderstood by their size and raw power. They lived in packs, and their thick hide protected them from the harsh cold weather although they preferred the heat of the sun.
“Can you help us?” Plation pleaded. They had no idea what or who the woman was behind the skull, but she seemed to live closely with the moujuujin and they hoped she would aid them on their quest. Sadly, the woman shook her head. “Why?” Plation asked.
“We can’t,” she said. “Goliath, the ox-beast stolen by the evil ones is the elder of the pack and possess all of their magic. When the elder dies, his powers are passed down to the next natural born leader. However, without him present, our hands are tied,” she explained. As it seemed, they had traveled all the way to Mount Hielo in vain, Helios had the upper hand all along. Regardless, Plation did not see it that way. In their journey, they had made invaluable allies and he saw the opportunity to win the moujuujin over and finally reunite them.
“In that case,” he said with wide smile, “join us. Come with us and bask in the sunlight. Help us defeat the biseijin. We’ll free Goliath from Helios’ wrath and regain control over our planet. This is the last planet in the Lupine system, we can’t afford to lose it to the hands of some low-life scums who don’t understand the value of life!”
The woman gave off what seemed like a lull and nodded. “We’ll lend you our power. Lead us! To Freedom!”
And so, the moujuujin rise off the frozen land and fly towards the mainland thanks to their magical and mysterious nature. “Zero,” Plation said, “I want to thank you.” The hera raise their guns in the air and march to the horizon. “Without you, none of this would have been possible.” The two suns began to set and rise anew as they approach The Great Wall. “You shouldn’t,” Zero replied. “I’m not as I appear to be.” The konatsian now viewed as the idealist who joined the hera and moujuujin stands above the head of an ox-beast with the wind caressing his face. “You are, you shouldn’t doubt yourself. Zero, you’re full of heart and soul.” The moujuujin moans as the sun melts away the crystalized ice on its fur, which now shines brightly and beautifully. “You’re wrong, I used you for my own selfish reasons.” The moujuujin ram their heads against The Great Wall and shatter it with their awe-inspiring might and continue to fly majestically through the air.
“Back then, in the village, you could have sided with the royal guard –but you didn’t. Instead, you allied yourself with the elfish man that attacked you and a little child that couldn’t possibly benefit you in any way.” The hera and countless alien beings that walked the land now witnessed an endless field of red grass that spanned for miles. No walls. “I was awake when Cayu had a nightmare, I’m grateful that you allowed him to sleep with you.” They marched on the land of Avalon, clad in armor. The biseijin and konatsians notice them and start preparing. Zero sits silently at the beast’s head as the man continues to speak and listens. “Although it seemed you would have left us back there, I kept playing my ocarina knowing you would pull through, and you did. Instead of leaving us behind,” the man looked down at the android with a genuine smile, “you stayed and helped me and the hera.” Cayu clings onto the android. “Thank you, Zero!” “…you’re welcome…”
…
The dye had been cast. Centuries of torment and horror, struggle and misunderstanding, it all lead towards this one event, the culmination of their ancestor’s long and winded journey. In one side of the field, hera and moujuujin stood side by side along with other alien races. On the other, stood fellow konatsians, Gors, and biseijin. A single ox-beast descended towards the center with Plation at its head, facing his brethren. Zalam’gar, surprised to see the young man, smirks and closes his eyes in submission. The elfish man projects his voice for all to hear, and hear they shall… “This world is our home to share!” He said. “We all come from the same roots, just as the branches of a tree always lead back to the trunk. Our race must act as one, live as one. Our hearts must beat as one. Too few of the people today have the vision needed to realize our true potential, as one, undivided race.” “One, undivided race…” Sayako murmurs to herself. Who would’ve thought such an abstract idea would have become so solidified and tangible enough to win their hearts.
Sweat drops rolled down Plation’s face. He hoped his brethren would let go of their fear and stop clinging to the past. He hoped they would join them towards a new era of prosperity. However, if they chose to remain; unfortunately, his blade would not be stilled. If he can’t fly, he’ll run, if he can’t run, he’ll walk, if he can’t walk, he’ll crawl, but whatever he does, he will keep moving forward. No longer would they linger in helplessness. Not anymore. “Alas,” he said, “Let us konatsians, moujuujin, and hera unite under one flag and chase away the biseijin. Join us and be free! But regardless of your choice, we will keep moving forward without regrets! Our torment ends now!” he proclaimed, pointing his sword towards the floating city of Avalon. That was the cue. Hera and Moujuujin rushed forward and nothing would stop them.
“Freedom!” Zalam’gar exclaimed, unsheathing his rapier and striking down the Gor beside him. With his valiant effort, the other konatsians followed and joined the rebellion. They purged on. The war had commenced. Model Zero and Plation descended onto the battlefield, landing on Gors and crushing them under their feet with the aid of gravity while an ox-beast took Cayu to safety. “Zalam’gar!” Plation called. The pale konatsian turned to meet his brethren with a forced smile. Even now, he was fighting the curse mark which compelled him to side with the Gors. “It took you long enough,” he said. “Android, your possessions are in the sheriff’s cabin. Get them and defeat Helios at his castle.” Zero nodded and looked to Plation. “Thank you Zalam’gar. Soon enough, we’ll free you from your curse,” he assured, nodding at Zero for them to get going. In a flash, the two jettison across the battlefield, skipping through the grasslands in a race to the floating castle. Zero swings his sword, knocking down Gors and biseijin as they traversed the battlefield. The inhabitants of this planet would take care of them, he thought. Their purpose lie elsewhere. Plation was a little faster because of the heavy weight which slowed Zero down, but they still arrived at the village at relatively the same pace.
Zero dropped the sword he had borrowed from the Gors and welcomed his saber to his hands and stowed away his pistol in its holster. He looks at his left hand. “Oh,” Plation realizes, “we forgot to ask Zalam’gar about that thing…” “No matter,” Zero responded, looking firmly at the floating city above them. “We’ll deal with that later.” Plation scratches his head. “How will we get up there? It was designed so only those who could fly can reach the city. The moujuujin are too far away. It would be a waste of time if we turned back now…” Zero grabbed onto the konatsian’s hand and nodded. “I’ll show you how,” he assured, crouching down for an effective impulse. The ground seemed to crack below his feet as Model Zero propels himself into the air with a burst of wind at his wake, pulling Plation along for the ride. They must have been at least half-way before his body began to decelerate. The weight of Plation and Zero’s heavy weights were too much for the android, but Zero would not give up.
Just as they began to descend, he hurled Plation ahead of him. “I’ll be back,” he said, diving head-first to the surface. As he approached land, Zero shifted his lithe body in the air and planted his feet firmly on the soil. The ground shattered and formed a concave below him as the android harnessed all the momentum he had gained and channeled it through his legs like a spring before ricocheting back up towards the floating city. Now accelerating at a much faster pace, he grabs onto the konatsian in the air and extends his arm, reaching for the edge. Missing by a nail, they begin to fall once more, but the android pulls Plation up again and the konatsian grapples the edge with his life. “Damn, Zero,” Plation complained, “you might… want… to lose a few pounds…” The android smirked and the konatsian pulled him up over the edge. “Hah!” he said, “I made you laugh!” Zero looked at him blankly with a stern face. “What are you saying?” he questioned, moving ahead towards the giant doors. Plation glares and follows him.
*BOOM*
The doors slam open as the duo enters. Helios remained on the throne, sitting expectantly of his visitors. “So! You’ve come!” he lulls. His small petite voice reverberates off the vertical columns of his castle. The halls were polished and the walls intact despite Zero’s battle with Goliath only a few days ago. In there, the cries of war and change were blocked out by the magical throne room. Plation unsheathes his sword and takes a step forth, “Your reign of terror ends today!” he said, aiming the tip of his blade at the despot’s visage as if it could pierce through his skull from a distance. “Hahahahah!” Helios laughed, closing his eyes shut and pressing his hands against his stomach while kicking his feet. The biseijin didn’t seem very troubled about their presence in his royal court. In fact, the thing appeared welcome their challenge. Plation’s anger intensified with the biseijin’s belligerent chortle. Gripping his sword tightly, he rushes in to strike down their opponent while his guard was down. Zero knew, however, that it would not be so simple.
Helios began to settle down with the konatsian’s defying roar littering his auditorium. His care-free expression dwindled to a more annoyed preface. Looking down on the konatsian, he frowns. Even as Plation leapt through the air, Helios had remained composed over his seat; simply raising his hand with palm facing the konatsian, a transmutation circle immediately formed between Plation’s blade and Helios. The sword was stilled and the force behind Plation’s attack was returned through magic. “Augh!” the konatsian grunts as he is thrown back by his own strength. Landing on his back, he is quick stand and commence his charge once more. “Stubborn little…” Helios commented. Suddenly, Gors would emerge from the shadows cast by the many columns that lined the royal hall. Plation halts as the machines surround him. Realizing the konatsian needed help, Zero dashes onward to aid him, but Plation would not wait. The konatsian holds his sword before him as he tends to do when casting a spell and chants in his elven tongue. His sword begins to emanate a mysterious light as it did before when they were attacked by the bandits. Recognizing it, Zero decides to stay back and observe.
The Gors take out their weapons and charge the konatsian. Meanwhile, Helios sat comfortably on his throne, supporting his chin with an arm prepped on the chair. His calm expression was altered like a ripple in a steam as a large transmutation circle manifests on the ground. Plation’s sword glimmers with the weight of his magical prowess and lifts his arm slowly as if the blade’s density had increased. The Gors were about a foot away before he managed to fully extend his arm in the air with a valiant roar. Next, there was a blinding light which illuminated the dark corridors, and then, all the Gors were gone. Disintegrated on the spot by the konatsian’s mythical powers. There was absolutely nothing –not even dust remained as magical particles dispersed in the air. Plation remained in the center of an ashen cross-section with his chest heaving high and low. Once again, Model Zero had been impressed by the konatsian’s abilities. Given the right circumstances, he was unsure whether he stand up to him, but mere observation shows that Plation would not last much longer if he kept using spells of such might. With great power, the price must be hefty and it was beginning to show.
Helios’ expression was now a disturbed one as he glared down upon the konatsian warrior. “Well done,” he says, unable to deny the man’s efforts, “but I doubt you have much left in you.”
With that said, the biseijin’s eyes began to glow an ominous green hue and Zero knew what was going to happen. It was just like before, green flames following as their surroundings ebonize and Goliath is once again summoned. Model Zero’s grip tightens, preparing for the coming battle, but something keeps his feet from moving. His heavy weights? A spell? Whatever it was, his feet were anchored to the ground and he was forced to watch by the sidelines. Plation had become exhausted and rests a knee on the marble floor while pressing his sword down as a foothold. The ox-beast puffs out smoke from his nostrils, imposing his presence on the individual, but Plation didn’t seem to pay any mind to his existence.
“Zero!” Plation called out, glancing over his shoulder. “Don’t be afraid! Even if you are cursed, it doesn’t mean a thing! Fate has a weird way of making everything work out, and you may not believe in fate but… Just remember…! When it seems as though the universe has cut you loose and seeks to discard you from existence… you are at last free to transcend its boundaries!”
The words hit the android like a bolt of lightning. His eyes widened and fragments of memories he could not understand rush through his eyes. –Transcend your boundaries- The phrase rang through his mind many different voices, trying to identify and match it to the right person. Alas, he didn’t recognize any of the many faces shown to him regardless. Afraid? he thought. That’s impossible. Ivan had told him numerous times that androids do not feel such meaningless emotions. Suddenly, he regained control over his hands as his grip tightens over the handle of his saber. Goliath was done waiting. The ox-beast rose on his hind legs and descend with the weight of his body to crush the konatsian warrior. Plation tries to move, but his muscles were too stiff. Helios smiles.
Helios frowns. Goliath’s feet impacts with the marble floors and ransacks the foundation of the biseijin’s castle, but Plation was saved. Model Zero stood at a considerable distance from the ox-beast as he lowered the konatsian to the ground. “Don’t… hurt him…” Plation pleads. “Goliath is just a victim… for such a gentle creature to be bound by their magic, they must have done some terrible things…” Zero nodded. It would be difficult, but he was right. They had learned that the moujuujin’s infamous reputation was a false conception due to Helios manipulation. However, the wizard’s powers were only effective against those who possessed malice in their hearts. For such a pure creature such as them to become enslaved by magic of that kind, for hatred to brew in their innocent souls, the biseijin must have done unspeakable things.
“Hahahaha!” Helios laughs. “You put up a nice show, Zero, but I think this little war is over. That is, if you don’t want anything to happen to your master…”
The android flinched, glaring at the biseijin. He had thought about it time after time, but he kept pushing the thought away. How was Ivan doing while he got caught up in all of this? If Helios had a hold of him, then there was nothing the android could do anymore. His saber lowers. “What’s going on?” Plation inquires. “Ivan,” Zero replies. “My master is their captive.” Plation’s eyes widen. Suddenly, he could understand why the android was on such a hurry to regain his powers. The konatsian’s anger resurfaces and he growls at the biseijin. “You never cease to surprise me! You have everyone under your leash, don’t you!?” Helios grins. “Quiet you,” he says, “Now, don’t move or Ivan dies.”
Moving his finger, Goliath begins to approach the two, preparing to finish them off. It was then that Plation whispered something and Zero braced himself. “Now!” the konatsian yelled as he stood up and began to play his ocarina. Zero dashes towards the biseijin. “You fool!” Helios snarled, but his movements were soon petrified by the soothing sound of the konatsian’s magical instrument; even Goliath was forced to concede. The magical song Plation played was one that inflicts paralysis on their surroundings. With the little energy he had left, he could still muster such a spell, but the downside of his attack is that it affected everyone who heard it –even himself. It was a technique developed by konatsian ancestors as a sacrificial last-ditch effort. During great destruction, they had stopped their enemies from fleeing, however the noble act cost them their lives. Plation believed that his spell would not affect Zero because the helmet on his head hid his ears. It was not so much the sound of the music which paralyzed his victims, but the waves emitted. If there was something between the sound waves and a person’s ears, then that alone was enough to thwart his attempts.
By the time the song stopped playing, everything in the royal court but Model Zero was frozen on the spot. Zero stared at the biseijin’s petrified expression. Helios tried to speak, but his lips would not even quiver at his attempt. Zero had no words to say, just a slash from his blade to decapitate the wizard. Before long, Zero’s curse was lifted and Goliath was released from his spell. “Thank you,” the ox-beast said. He did not speak, but his voice was telepathically delivered. A moment later, Zero and Plation were healed from their wounds and the ox-beast leaves the royal court, flying in free will once again. Down in the battlefield, Zalam’gar feels as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he immediately knew that they had succeeded. “The war is won!” He declares with a great howl and strikes the Gors down.
Standing outside of the castle with his regained strength, Zero stares at the sky. Plation couldn’t sense energy, much less an androids, but he could smell the change in Zero’s aura. He was on a whole different level now; although, if asked, Zero might think differently. Plation had proven himself to be quite capable. Glancing at the android, Plation seemed to know what he intended, and although a normal person would think it impossible, the konatsian saw it to be true without question. “I’ll go with you,” he declares. Model Zero looks over his shoulder, but before he could protest, Plation continued. “Even you can’t survive the harsh environments of space. At 600km above Lupin IV the temperature fluctuates between +258 and -148 degrees Fahrenheit, whether you melt or freeze, it’ll happen within a second of a second.” Zero was silent. He wasn’t wrong. The android didn’t know what it would be like to be in the vacuum of space without any protection, he had never done it before. The konatsian took his silence as a yes and mounted onto the android’s back. “Alright, let’s go!” he stated, pointing his index finger at the sky.
Zero’s eyes peered through the clouds. Plation couldn’t see it, but the android was following the spacecraft’s trajectory with his eyes. All he had to do was pin down Ivan’s energy signature and his scouter would do the rest for him. Crouching down, the ground begins to crumble and Zero makes the strongest leap in his existence. Even with his heavy weights, his power was more than enough to break through the stratosphere. Plation grinned widely as he grabbed onto Zero and struggled to keep his eyes open. This was a once in a life-time opportunity and he did not want to miss a moment as they passed through the clouds. Suddenly, their clothing was drenched and the konatsian reveled in it. However, he started sensing the dense air and decided it was time to get started. Reaching for his ocarina, he carries it over Zero’s chest and lowers his face on the android’s shoulder so he may press his lips on the instrument.
As soon as Plation begins to play his magical notes, an artificial atmosphere forms around them, protecting them from the outside as if they were still on the planet’s surface. The two were finally out of the planet’s atmosphere and found themselves at the edge. Plation suppressed a gasp as he watched his planet curve. It was beautiful he thought, but he must keep playing his ocarina slow and steady; their lives depended on it. Zero noticed Plation was having a hard time keeping the barrier on, but it did not matter for they were almost there. An instant later, the two tore through the ships walls and onto what appeared like a hall. The spacecraft seemed to rotate around it center, creating artificial gravity. Zero made his way towards the nearest door, exiting the hall which was now open to the harsh environment. Once the door close shut behind them, Plation released his spell and dropped to the ground, gasping for air.
Laying on the ground, crawling towards them as he draws his last breath was the alien creature that had held his masters captive. “Please… help me…” he pleaded, reaching out to Zero in vain as his hand drops to the floor. Surprised, Plation looks above the fallen creature to find a red humanoid sitting on the captain’s chair with his legs crossed. “Master,” Zero said. Apparently, they had worried over nothing. Plation stood up beside the android. This is his master? the konatsian thought. In retrospection, he didn’t seem very different from the biseijin. “Zero! I’ve been waiting for you. This baboon thought he could subdue me, but my intellect was obviously superior.”
“Forgive me, sir,” Zero said, dropping down to a knee with his head towards the ground. Plation raised an eyebrow. “Who have you brought?” Ivan inquires.
Plation smiles and walks towards the bizarre man. “Hi! My name is Plation. I’m a konatsian, native to my planet. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” The man says, extending his hand. Ivan ignores his kind gesture and looks to the android. “Plation is an elven man from the planet Lupin IV; one of various races that reside within the planet. Magic seems to be very prominent within the land. I fell victim to one, having lost my strength to some curse cast by the biseijin. He helped me regain it, and in return I helped him free his planet from their tyranny…” the android continued, debriefing his master on the slightest detail and the scientist’s eyes lit up. He was astonished. He was thrilled. To think taking possession over the planet would be so simple, he thought.
“So,” Ivan started, standing from his chair and walking past the konatsian who still had his hand extended. “You’re the hero who saved the world from their century old rulers. I must commend your efforts, but I fear it was in vain.”
“What?” Plation turns around, confused. “What are you talking about?”
Ivan raises his hands to the air while looking at the roof as if speaking with a benevolent being. “Plation, savior of the masses, dies in a valiant last-ditch effort to save them from the hands of the belligerent biseijin. You will be remembered for decades to come. We will build statues of your image in every village so the world will forever be reminded of the sacrifices you have made.” Ivan stops behind Zero with his hands locked behind his back. He grins at the konatsian and in that moment Plation realized he was just another Stalin.
Ivan’s grin fades away and then he says in a more solemn tone, "Zero, kill him."
Zero’s eyes widen towards the ground. Kill him? he thought, gazing up at the konatsian. He had never spent so much time with another person who treated him like his equal. Plation was always encouraging him and smiling, as though they had formed some kind of bond. And now… Ivan asked him… to kill him… his only… friend? First… friend?
Ivan stares down at the android, alarmed to see that he had not reacted. “What are you doing? Didn’t you hear me? Dispose of the konatsian! His people will never accept me as their ruler if he’s alive.”
The android stands up slowly. His facial features were obscured by the grim nature of their position. Not once had he ever questioned Ivan’s demands. But this… If you don’t move, Ivan will be mad. The android takes a step forward and Ivan smirks.
"Wait, what!?" Plation gasps, taking a step back.
Zero moves closer.
“Zero… what are you doing?” the konatsian inquires, not wanting to believe it. The android’s gaze remains steadfastly at the ground. “-You don’t have to do this!”
“I must,” Zero says. “It is my master’s wish.” Plation flinches and steps back further. “So… this is the real you, huh? After all we’ve been through, you’re going to act like none of it mattered? You’re just going to wash it all away and pretend none of it was real?”
Zero stops. “You may be an android, and he may be your creator, but that does not bind you to his will!”
“I don’t have a choice!” Zero exclaims, his gaze still slanted at the ground, but Plation barks back. “You always have a choice! Don’t come to me with that bullshit! Zero! You can still change for the better! All you have to do is turn around and it will all be over!”
Zero raises his gaze, looking up to the konatsian. Ivan frowns, “Now that’s enough of you. Zero, finish it already!” The android steps forward, “Sorry…” he mutters.
“Sorry!?” Plation exclaimed. “Tell that to Cayu when you go back down and enslave my people! It's so easy that way, isn't it!? Hiding behind your master's orders, just so you don't have to take responsibility for your own actions!"
"Zero is a drone, like the Gors. He does anything and everything I ask him for," Ivan buzzes in.
Plation glares at him and then looks at the android. "Zero, listen. I don’t know what you’ve been through and I don’t pretend to understand, but what I do know is that you are given a chance to change every time he opens his mouth. Forget about what he says, you don't have to live your whole life under someone's shadow! You're not a drone! I saw it time and time again! You have a conscious! Zero, just please, follow what your heart says! It's the only one who's ever right..."
Laughter breaks throughout the entire room. "Zero has no feelings. He has no consciousness. Everything he thinks, does, and says are all predetermined by his core programming that I, his creator, developed. Your plea falls on deaf ears."
Zero grips his saber.
“Zero!” they yell in unison.
“Zero!”
Suddenly, the android swings his blade. Ivan grimaces as blood is splattered over his face. He didn’t think he could do it, but Zero finally made his choice as his victim dropped dead on the ground. Ivan wipes the blood off his face and grins at the fallen warrior. “Don’t scare me like that, Zero. Next time, I will not overlook your insolence.” The Doctor walks out of a dark corridor, shivering in fear. The entire spacecraft blares as sirens go off. It had sustained reasonable damage since they arrived and it could no longer hold. Slowly, the craft descends towards the planet’s atmosphere and Ivan stands before the glass window to witness it for himself. His laugh fills the room much like Helios’ did back in the castle, and Zero stares blankly at the corpse of the konatsian he would dare call his friend.
…
“My dear friends!” Ivan declared. The spaceship had landed amidst the battlefield, wreaked beyond repair though they were intact. They ceased fighting and listened at the man. “It pains me to bring you this news, but your valiant hero Plation has fallen to the hands of the biseijin.” Silence struck the masses. “No!” Cayu cried as Zero walked out of the spacecraft with the elven man in his arms. The little boy ran towards them, tugging on the androids legs and screaming for his brother as tears streamed down his face. Zero avoided looking at his eyes, for he feared the boy might see through him. “Let his memory not be in vain! Join together as brothers and sisters! Thanks to his brave efforts, you have been freed from the evil biseijin!” Ivan pauses, letting the news sink in as he prepares to engrave himself into their hierarchy. “I promise,” he says in a lighter voice as if full of pain, “I will honor his last breath and see to it that you all live in freedom! With Zero as my knight, we will protect this planet with our lives! Let us forever remember, Plation, the hero who freed us all!”
They cheer…
[PL. Heavy Weights. Criticism]