Section 1: Fragile Beginnings
Location: The Vanguard Family House
Time: Day
Scene One: A Morning's Departure
In the cozy confines of the Vanguard family house, the morning sun cast a warm glow, illuminating the living room where the entire family gathered, readying for the day ahead. George, the patriarch, prepared to embark on his daily routine, intending to drop off his wife and children at school before heading to work.
“How are you feeling, Zel?” Ella, his wife, inquired with lingering concern from Zel's previous day's bout of illness.
“I'm feeling much better, Mom,” Zel reassured her, eager to dispel any worries she harbored about his well-being.
“All set to leave?” George's voice entered the room as he joined the family.
“Yes, dear. We were waiting for you,” Ella responded, a smile gracing her lips.
“Great, let's get going,” George announced, leading the way as the family filed out to their awaiting vehicle. Along the journey, George mentioned to Zel his plan to enroll him at Zen Strike Dojo the following day at noon.
En route to Cenat High School, George's keen eyes caught sight of a familiar figure, reminiscent of the man who had collided with Zel at the park the day before.
"Have I seen this guy before?" George mused, a wave of recognition washing over him. "Yes, it's him—the one from Zel's incident. Is he following us? This seems odd. I need to find out," he resolved silently.
“Hey, honey. You seem worried. Is everything okay?” Ella's voice, tinged with concern, interrupted his thoughts.
“I'm fine. Just some stray thoughts, nothing to worry about,” George reassured her, masking his unease.
After dropping off everyone at Cenat High School, George continued his journey to the Star Tower, his mind preoccupied with the stranger's mysterious appearance.
Section 2: Unveiling Secrets at the Dark Star Tower
Location: The Dark Star Tower
Time: Day
Scene One: Training's Grim Outcome
Within their familiar virtual realm, Rema and Bulla clashed in a fierce training session. Rema, tapping into the newfound ability he had acquired from their previous encounter, was beginning to grasp its formidable potential. However, harnessing this power exacted a toll on his body, limiting his ability to sustain it for more than three minutes. As they sparred, their movements fluid and precise, Waldo observed from the sidelines, impressed by his son's progress in mastering this new level of skill.
As the battle intensified, Rema struggled to keep pace. Bulla, undeterred, pressed on relentlessly, launching a barrage of strikes and kicks at Rema. Despite his best efforts, Rema found himself forced into a defensive stance, unable to mount a counterattack. With a powerful kick, Bulla sent Rema soaring into the sky, then unleashed beams of concentrated energy to push him beyond his limits, just as he had done before. However, this time, Rema had nothing left to give.
Lifeless, Rema plummeted from the sky like a discarded stone, his body limp and inert upon impact with the ground. Waldo, disappointed by the turn of events, approached Bulla as Rema lay motionless.
“Another disappointment,” Waldo remarked, his gaze fixed on his son's lifeless form.
“Does he still have a pulse?” he inquired. Bulla quickly checked, shaking his head in confirmation of the negative.
“How unfortunate. He possessed such great potential. It's a shame it had to end like this,” Waldo lamented.
In his disappointment, Waldo made his way toward the exit. “Make sure to transfer his data to the next specimen before disposing of his body,” he instructed.
“Yes, my Lord,” Bulla acknowledged solemnly, his voice tinged with regret.
Scene Two: The Cloning Room Revealed
With solemn reverence, Bulla tenderly carried Rema's lifeless body into a secluded chamber, gently laying him on a sterile table. With practiced precision, he affixed wires to Rema's head, extracting his memories with meticulous care. Once the process was complete, Bulla retrieved an identical copy of Rema from a nearby tube labeled number seven, among several others lining the chamber. Placing the seventh specimen on a table crafted from a gel-like substance, Bulla deftly transferred the wires from the deceased Rema, known as Specimen 6, onto the new replica.
With a heavy heart, Bulla bore the sixth Rema specimen away from the chamber, his steps echoing in the quiet solitude. Venturing into the incineration room, where waste and obsolete inventions met their fiery demise, Bulla reverently placed Rema's inert form into one of the bins designated for disposal.
Gently pressing a kiss to Rema's forehead, Bulla whispered, “It was a pleasure training with you, Specimen Six.” Setting a timer for the bin's contents to be consumed by the flames in the next two hours, Bulla bid farewell to his fallen comrade.
Section 3: Confronting the Unknown
Location: George’s Neighborhood
Time: Night
Scene One: Friendly Visit
With his workday behind him, George made his way across the parking lot, ready to depart from the Star Tower's premises. Before leaving, he stopped to settle his dues with Rooney, a longtime friend and former colleague at the Tower. As they exchanged pleasantries, memories of their shared experiences flooded back, prompting lively conversations about days gone by.
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Amidst their reminiscing, the topic of the red orb arose, prompting George to share details about their upcoming plans. He made sure to inform Rooney that he, Dan, and Slick had arranged to meet up at the bar over the weekend, emphasizing that it was an event not to be missed. After enjoying some quality time catching up with Rooney, George bid his friend farewell and set off for home, his mind filled with anticipation for the weekend ahead.
Scene Two: Conversations with Future Zel
As George neared his home, a prickling sense of unease crept over him like a shadow as he caught sight of the familiar figure of Zel from the future lingering in the neighborhood. Parking his vehicle with meticulous care, George strode purposefully towards Zel, his steps measured and deliberate, determined to confront him and uncover the enigma shrouding his sudden presence. Seizing the moment, George swiftly closed the distance between them, his hands poised to grapple Zel to the ground, ready to confront him head-on and demand answers to the pressing questions that weighed heavily on his mind.
“Hey! What's going on?” Future Zel maintained a calm demeanor despite the tension of the moment.
“Start talking. You've been following me and my family for some time now. What's the deal?” George demanded; his voice tinged with urgency.
"Hold on, Dad, it's me. It's Zel," Future Zel clarified, attempting to diffuse the tension.
“Zel?” George's brow furrowed in confusion as he cautiously approached. With a swift motion, he removed Zel's hoodie to confirm his identity, and to his astonishment, it was indeed Zel.
“Zel! How is this possible? What’s going on?” George's mind raced with a whirlwind of questions, struggling to make sense of the unexpected encounter.
“I can explain, just give me a chance to talk,” Future Zel pleaded, sensing his father's confusion.
Reluctantly, George released his grip on Zel, allowing him the opportunity to shed light on the bewildering situation. With a deep breath, Future Zel began to unravel the truth.
“I know this may be hard to believe, but I'm from a different timeline. This is the last one where I exist. In all the others, the Mundis, an alien race, destroyed everything. They are hunting me down in every timeline,” Future Zel revealed, his voice laden with urgency.
“Mundis?” George's mind reeled with the implications of Zel's revelation, his confusion deepening.
“Yes, they are dangerous. I've come to help present-day Zel master a crucial ability. It's a technique none of us from different timelines could master in time to stop the Mundis before they launched a massive attack on our planet,” Future Zel explained, his words resonating with gravity.
“So, you're telling me this technique can be wielded by my son,” George pondered aloud, his thoughts racing.
“But come to think of it, Dan did mention in his dream of our planet being attacked by some alien beings. Could his dream be a premonition?” George mused, connecting the dots.
“Yes, Dad. Only he is capable of wielding and mastering this ability,” Future Zel affirmed, confirming George's suspicions.
“Why are they after you to begin with?” George pressed for further clarification.
“Telling you about that wouldn’t be a clever idea, as it could drastically alter the course of this timeline, but I will tell you this much—they are an extremely evil race,” Future Zel replied cryptically, his words laden with urgency.
“I see. So, what is this ability called? What does it do?” George's curiosity piqued, eager for answers.
“I can’t tell you that either,” Future Zel's response was guarded, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
"Wait, hold on," George interjected, his mind racing with questions. "If none of you from the other timelines could master this technique in time, what makes you so sure my son—well, you in this timeline—will succeed before this alien race you mentioned makes their move?"
Future Zel's expression turned grave. "He must succeed. Because if he doesn't, if he dies... you'll all be next. I mean, in this timeline. The Mundis will wipe out every one of you, as they did to the other timelines."
Overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation, George struggled to process the information. "This is too much to take in," he admitted. "Why are you here now? And why did you bump into him at the park?" he pressed for answers.
"I've been observing him, waiting for the right moment to reveal myself," Future Zel explained. "And the bump at the park was just a little nudge to help accelerate the awakening of his chi."
"But won't your interaction with him alter the course of this timeline?" George inquired, his brow furrowing with concern.
"Not necessarily," Future Zel reassured him. "There's a unique window that allows for limited interaction between individuals from different timelines without disrupting the events of this one. That's when I'll make my move."
Understanding dawned on George as he absorbed the information. "I see," he murmured, his thoughts racing.
"One more thing," Future Zel added urgently. "No one must know about tonight. Not even me in this timeline. It could have unforeseen consequences. We've already lingered too long. Any further and a catastrophic event is certain to occur."
With a sense of urgency, Future Zel turned to leave, but not before imparting one final piece of advice. "Find the mechanic called Bob. He will help you destroy the red orb," he stated cryptically before disappearing into the shadows.
"The red orb," George muttered to himself, the weight of the task ahead settling heavily on his shoulders. "Hold on! Where do I find him?" He called out after Future Zel but received no response as his figure vanished into the night.
Lost in thought, George made his way back to his vehicle, pondering the veracity of Future Zel's words and the daunting mission that lay ahead. With a heavy heart, he pulled into his driveway and entered his home, the weight of the world resting on his shoulders as he contemplated the fate of his family and the impending threat looming on the horizon. Meanwhile, Future Zel watched from a distance, silently lamenting the risk he had taken by revealing so much, resigned to the consequences of his actions.
Section 4: The Veil Unraveled
Location: The Dark Star Tower
Time: Night
Scene One: Incineration and Revelation
Back at the Star Tower, the passage of two hours signaled the onset of the incineration process. With a mechanical hum, the bin containing Rema's body was hoisted by the powerful crane, destined for the scorching inferno of the massive furnace. Amidst the rising heat, Rema stirred back to consciousness, disoriented and in agonizing pain, struggling to comprehend his surroundings. His memory clouded by the haze of his recent battle with Bulla, he grappled with the surreal reality of his current predicament.
Summoning every ounce of strength, Rema managed to extricate himself from the bin just before it was lowered into the fiery depths. With trembling limbs and a pounding heart, he embarked on a desperate quest to locate his father. Each step was a battle against the searing agony coursing through his battered form, but he pressed on, driven by an unyielding determination.
As he navigated the labyrinthine corridors of the Star Tower, the sound of voices drew him closer to his destination. With bated breath, he approached the door, his curiosity piqued by the clandestine conversation unfolding within. Hiding in the shadows, he listened intently to the exchange between his father and Bulla, his heart sinking with each passing moment.
"Was the transfer complete?" Waldo's voice echoed through the room.
"Yes, my Lord," Bulla's reply sent a chill down Rema's spine. "His body should have been reduced to ashes within the furnace by now."
Rema's mind reeled at the realization of his fate, orchestrated by those he once trusted. The revelation struck him like a thunderbolt, shattering his perception of reality. With a mixture of horror and disbelief, he peered into the room, his eyes widening in shock at the sight before him.
There, connected to a web of wires, lay a replica of himself, bearing the ominous mark of the number seven. A surge of existential dread washed over him as he grappled with the implications of his manufactured existence. Questions swirled in his mind, each one more troubling than the last, as he struggled to comprehend the sinister machinations at play.
"Was I the sixth copy? Were the others before me destroyed, and why?" Rema's thoughts raced, a maelstrom of uncertainty threatening to engulf him. In that moment of profound revelation, he felt as though the very fabric of his identity was unraveling before his eyes.
Overwhelmed by a profound sense of emptiness, Rema retreated from the shadows, his spirit shattered by the weight of his newfound knowledge. With each faltering step, he fled the confines of the facility, a solitary figure consumed by the darkness that now enveloped his soul