A soft dawn fell over the town of Mildry, the busy streets and rising smoke stacks bringing the sleepy town to life. Flocks of birds flew away from the town, distant megastructures hummed to life and the flailing ends of Mommy's bandages blocked the sun from hitting her eyes. The stiff wheelchair she sat in was stained with dried blood, the same blood that oozed from her eyes.

"You may cover them again."

Mommy closed her eyes as Inrei gently wrapped the bandages around her eyes, leaving only her fleshy, grotesque mouth and jaw visible.

"I believe it's time we go find him."

Inrei nodded and began to push her wheelchair.

"Do you know where he is?"

There was a long silence.

"I can sense it. His Haab' just off the eastern coast."

Charmy picked gunk from between his teeth.

"What could that geezer want out there?"

Inrei furrowed his brow.

"And how are we supposed to get to him?"

Mommy leaned back.

"We will wait at the shore. He will return, not like how he once looked. I believe he will look different. A lot different."

Mommy sighed.

"Let us leave, Archie can play as much as he likes here. Personally, I'm not too fond of this town."

All three soon departed as the wind began to pick up.

On the bus, Sten kept driving, they had long left the confines of Mildry and were driving down the rocky outskirts that led south. The road grew unstable, cracks knocking the bus around and the tight turns that needed to be made caused Sten to focus on too many things at once. His necklace offered directions to help ease the tension but as Archie became more reckless above, their path was everything but clear.

Crux shot at the helicopter as it lagged behind the bus.

"ELIOWEN! REACH FOR THE BACK OF IT'S HEAD!"

Eliowen was on his hands and knees, clinging to the bus as it shook violently.

"T-Trying here!"

Eliowen tried to stand but the swaying of the bus dissuaded him.

"It's a little hard though..."

Yuro orbited Archie, scanning all angles of him. He could see how well-moulded he was with the helicopter, his veins pumping Strand in the helicopter to keep it powered while his upper torso remained glued onto the front of the helicopter.

Each pellet Crux shot into Archie was simply consumed into his gooey flesh.

"I can't do much! Kid, what's the holdup?"

Crux looked down to see Eliowen looking over the side of the bus, his eyes wide and fixed on the ground they drove over.

"Alright then... let's try something else."

Eliowen's hands and knees trembled.

"I can't stand... I can't..."

Crux then grabbed him and hoisted him up onto his shoulders.

"Crux...!?"

"Don't worry about standing kid, all you need to do is reach for his heart."

Eliowen felt secure on Crux's shoulders so he closed his eyes, the invisible hands appearing once more.

"Alright..."

Eliowen reached toward where he presumed Archie to be. His arms traversed the darkness further, the dim glow beginning to flicker as his arms stiffened.

"HEY HEY! Eliowen!"

Eliowen opened his eyes, he wiped his eyes to find blood leaking from them. His thin biceps also ached.

"What happened...?"

Crux looked up at him, worry on his face.

"Did you do it? You find the heart?"

Eliowen shook his head.

"I couldn't reach it... my arms hurt and my eyes sting. Perhaps there's a limit to how far I can reach."

Crux smirked.

"So you need to get closer is what I'm hearing."

Crux dashed to the end of the bus, closest to Archie. Eliowen went to try again but Archie screeched, the ringing echoing in everyone's head. From the bottom of Archie's helicopter, a monstrous hand tore off chunks of his own flesh and tossed it at the bus.

Crux lept back.

"So now he plays offence..."

Archie lobbed more blobs of flesh onto the bus, puddles of black goo being left from the impact. From the puddles, hands reached out. Climbing from the depths were copies of Archie, all pure black with sharp pure white eyes. They slowly looked toward Crux and Eliowen, sinister grins growing on their faces.

In unison, they spoke.

"Let's stop this child play. I'll win so quit while you can."

Crux readied his staff.

"Eliowen. Keep my back clean."

With a swift dash, Crux slammed his staff into the stomach of one of the Archie clones. The clone's body was instantly ruptured and a spurt of black goo erupted from its mouth. With the tip of his staff aimed into the clone's stomach, he pulled the trigger, exploding its body into two. Eliowen noticed a clone running behind them so he closed his eyes and blocked the clone's attack with his invisible hands.

Crux, hearing the clone, spun around and thwacked the clone off the side of the bus. His attention was quickly brought back to the remaining clones, which lunged toward him. With a quick click of his staff, a flurry of pellets was unloaded in all directions. The clones were torn to pieces and were finished off with a series of violent swings from his staff. As the clones were reduced to puddles once more Crux focussed on Archie.

Yuro flew onto the preoccupied Archie, quietly entering the helicopter. The inside of the helicopter had become laced with rotting flesh and organs. It was a cacophony of mismatched gargles and wet squelching, his anatomy constantly shifting and changing. In the cockpit, Yuro found all the controls fused with Archie but they were still operable, the number of buttons and switches made no sense to Yuro at a glance but upon closer inspection, he found Archie's beating heart at the core of the controls. He tried to tear it out but his dull baby bat claws couldn't cut deep enough.

He narrowed his eyes.

"It's... in here."

Yuro quickly flew out of the helicopter, rejoining with Eliowen and Archie.

Eliowen saw Yuro fly down and land on their shoulders.

"Yuro! Did you find anything?"

"I did! I found where his heart is located, the bad part is where it's located."

Eliowen looked worried.

"They're in the cockpit of the helicopter, meaning you'll have to reach inside."

Eliowen shook his head.

"There's a bit of a problem with that... my powers can only reach so far before my arms start to hurt and I have to stop."

"So to reach inside... would take more power that you don't have."

Eliowen hung his head low.

"Crux's attacks don't do anything to him as well. Not to mention Archie can send out copies of himself, I'm not sure how I can get close without him retaliating."

Yuro thought for a moment.

"Perhaps we could blind him?"

Yuro turned to Crux.

"Crux, you use gunpowder to fire from your staff, correct?"

Crux nodded.

"Kinda, the pellets are encased in a lead shell filled with gunpowder that I ignite by pulling the trigger."

"Perfect! Could you somehow take the pellets out and instead fire the gunpowder out?"

"Uh... Maybe? This gun doesn't really work like that."

"Well, can you get the gunpowder out?"

"Yeah, it'll take a bit to disassemble all the bullets I have but I could get all of it out. Mind tellin' me why?"

"We can create a cloud of smoke to block his vision. It'll provide a small window for Eliowen to get up into the helicopter. Hopefully, it's all we will need."

"I hear ya'. You do know we'll only have a single chance, right? I only have enough bullets to create a big enough smoke cloud once."

Eliowen sighed.

"Don't worry. I'll try to make it worthwhile."

Archie screeched once more and shot out more puddles onto the bus. More clones crawled out and faced them. Eliowen hopped off Crux's shoulders as Crux knelt and began to take apart his bullets, ripping off a piece of his pant leg and pouring the gunpowder onto it.

Eliowen took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Yuro. I'll need your guidance."

Yuro nodded and flew onto his shoulder. The clones limp toward him, their bodies slowly rebuilding the broken parts of them.

"Come on..."

The clones gathered together and walked faster toward him.

"Stay calm..."

The clones laughed, sprinting straight toward him.

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"Don't open your eyes..."

Eliowen stood firmly.

"Don't mess up."

"Now!"

Yuro shouted.

Eliowen threw his invisible hand forward, a fist curling as it connected with a clone. It was flung back as the rest continued to rush toward him. He threw another punch, his body overreaching and missing. Before he could regain his stance the clones approached him, Yuro tried to warn him but luckily the bus made a sharp turn, knocking all of the clones to the side. Eliowen kept his footing and remained ridged, thanks to both fear and determination.

"They're on the ground!"

Eliowen followed Yuro's directions and slammed his hands on the ground, squishing the clones beneath him. With a few more punches, the clones were thrown back and a path was paved.

Eliowen fell to his knees.

"Crux, you almost done?"

Crux shook his head.

"Just a little over halfway. Keep it up!"

Eliowen caught his breath and stood up.

"Alright. I'll try."

As the clones got back up, they all looked at each other and grabbed onto one another. Their bodies melted into a giant puddle that slowly grew into an enormous behemoth. Each step it took shook the entire bus and its bloated body pulsed with the muffled cries of the clones. Eliowen closed his eyes and raised his invisible fists. The beast swung its hand down onto him, Eliowen's fists intercepting it and breaking its stance. With the newly acquired opening, Eliowen threw a punch at its gut. The collision was lessened as its belly absorbed most of the impact.

Eliowen threw another punch but the impact was spread across its stomach.

"It's not..."

The behemoth then smacked Eliowen back into Crux. Crux stumbled back as the gunpowder was sprayed everywhere.

"No!"

Crux tried to stop the gunpowder from floating away in the wind but he wasn't quick enough, their only means of defence and offence blowing by in the breeze.

"No no! Damnit!"

The behemoth then grabbed Crux and slammed him against the ground. Eliowen was dangling off the side of the bus. He desperately clung onto it as he panicked, flailing his legs around and looking down.

"YURO!"

Eliowen cried out as he tried to climb back onto the roof but his grip was slipping, the overuse of his powers caused his arms to grow sore.

"Someone!"

The behemoth kept bashing Crux against the bus' roof, Yuro was nowhere to be seen and Eliowen's grip loosened.

"Why... why can't... I just... fight. I'm sorry..."

Eliowen lost his hold. In his last moment, he felt the warm hug of a familiar comfort. He felt at peace knowing he could die feeling this way.

"Got... you..."

Eliowen looked up to see Rina holding him as she flew up. Her skin burned as she dropped Eliowen on the roof. She took out her claws and cut through the behemoth with ease.

"Nice job."

Yuro was perched on her shoulder.

"You still remember how to fly those things?"

Rina shrugged as she landed on the bus.

"I'll distract Archie. You get into the cockpit."

Rina nodded, her hair a mess and her skin smoking as she stood in the sun. She crouched down and launched off the ground, high into the air.

Yuro flew straight toward Archie.

"Archie!"

Archie screeched, small tentacles shooting out to try and swipe Yuro out of the sky.

"Gyet... ashway!

Yuro dodged the tentacle and landed on Archie's face.

"What do you hope to accomplish after this!? You preach about the future but never consider it!"

Archie shook Yuro off and whacked him away.

"DIAH!"

Yuro tumbled through the air before regaining stability.

"If you do win this fight what will become of you? Do you plan to stay a helicopter forever? What about... Mommy...?"

"TRAYTOAR!"

Archie flew straight toward Yuro, planning on ramming into him but he abruptly stopped.

"Wh..."

Rina tried to seize control of the helicopter in the cockpit, he hands working overtime as she hastily flicked switches and turned dials to the max. Archie protested and attempted to resume control. Rina effortlessly tore control away from Archie and blindly flew in random directions. Archie shot out tentacles to wrap around Rina and tear her apart. Rina kept strong and went full throttle, flying the helicopter straight into the ground. Archie roared as he crashed, an explosion erupting from the crash.

"RINA!"

Yuro flew down to the wreckage.

Sten pushed on the break, the bus screeching to a halt. Crux and Eliowen hopped down and ran toward the helicopter. Yuro found Rina unconscious in the wreck, the sun burning her. Crux and Eliowen caught up with Yuro and saw Rina, they hoisted her up and out of the wreckage.

Crux gave her shade by standing in front of the sun.

"Eliowen! Go. End this."

Eliowen nodded and ran to the helicopter. He climbed inside and made his way to the cockpit, he saw the beating heart beneath a thick layer of flesh. He closed his eyes and began to tear away at it with his invisible hands. Sweat fell down his chin as his nails dug into it, chunks flying everywhere as the beating grew louder. With one final tug, he exposed the true heart of Archie. Tied around it were two strings, both identical.

Eliowen gently grasped both strings, he had to choose. He held them tight. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes.

"You got this... I can't let them down now."

Eliowen's hands trembled.

"You got this! I can do it!"

"Can you?"

Eliowen opened his eyes and turned around to see Archie or at least a clone of him looking down at him. The clone ripped Eliowen away from the heart.

"I'll take this."

"NO!"

Eliowen used his hands to try and stop him but the clone kicked him away.

"You people... were so much fun. I'll miss this."

Archie ripped out the heart and began to fuse it with himself.

"Like I'd be a fucking helicopter for the rest of my life... idiot. I swear that imbecile loves to talk out of his ass. "

Eliowen tackled Archie out of the helicopter.

"I won't let you!"

Archie kicked Eliowen off him.

"You brat! Get off me!"

Eliowen tackled him again.

"NO!"

Archie held the heart up, its pulse racing.

"You're so annoying! Just get away!"

Archie kicked him away again.

Eliowen tackled him again.

"I... won't..."

Archie began to get enraged.

"Alright, you..."

Archie's eyes then widened. He was struck with a stinging pain all over his body.

"What the... what..."

He looked up to see his heart burning in the sun.

"No... no no!"

Eliowen used Archie's panic to grab the heart and hold it high.

"Of course... the sun!"

Yuro ran over, back in his baby form, and saw Archie crawling on the ground toward Eliowen.

"Eliowen!"

Archie desperately crawled toward him.

"Give it! No no! GIVE ME MY HEART!"

Eliowen shook his head.

"Archie... it's time you rest after 400 long years."

"NO! NO! GIVE IT TO ME! NOW!"

Yuro walked over to Eliowen and looked at Archie.

"Archie..."

The warm glow of the sun bathed over them all. The soft chirping of crickets died down and flocks of birds flew overhead. In the far distance, the smokestacks of Mildry rose into the sky. The wind slowed to a stop as they stood amongst a field of withering flowers, the petals drifting away in the wind and the smell of peace inviting them to relax.

"May wherever you go be kinder than you ever were. It's the only hope for peace you have."

Archie reached his hand out.

"Yuro..."

His body began to melt.

"You... traitor..."

"Perhaps I am but in 400 years... I've learned one thing. Redemption comes from oneself. So make up for all the horrible things you've done and die."

Archie screamed as his heart melted in Eliowen's hand. Archie slowly faded into nothing, the wind carrying his soul away. Standing in the field of the dead was death, how quiet he had become.

Eliowen looked to Yuro.

"What a night... I need to lay down."

Yuro smiled.

"Couldn't have said it better myself."

They began to walk toward the bus, the sun rising over the horizon as a new day had begun...

Mildry - 12/03 7:15 am 51EE

Police officers rushed past, ambulances flaring their sirens as a group of people draped in black suits walked into the police station. One was adjusting his golden watch and licking his teeth so his golden dentures glistened. The one walking beside him had her head stuck in a fantasy romance fic which she had been raving about all week. Behind them was a tall woman, her hair was snakes and her black-out glasses hid her two glass eyes. Finally, leading the group was a man with frizzy hair who stood tall, static electricity flowing across each hair on his body and hundreds of scars dotted across his skin.

"Seems we just missed them. Perhaps we will have to adjust our schedules so that we can wake up earlier."

The snake-hair woman said, her glass eyes scanning over each officer that passed them.

"Yeah no way dude, you know how long it takes to look this good on missions?"

The golden boy scoffed, combing through his hair.

The girl engrossed in her book shot her head up, drool oozing down her chin as her eyes spun in spirals.

"His monstrous... throbbing... girthy... fiery... enticing... p-"

"Stop reading that aloud, please! Your filth is washing up on me."

The golden boy rolled his eyes, walking faster to get away from her.

"Oh come on Carnoim~ You've got to read this volume... once I'm done with it of course. It gets... spicy~"

"Fhethyral please deal with her. It's too early to be doing this shit."

Carnoim recoiled in disgust.

Fhethyral's eyes scanned over Yaz and her book.

"Now now Yaz, save the books for after the mission. Mister Carnoim isn't too fond of the monstrous, throbbing, girthy, fiery, en-"

"ENOUGH! Stop speaking about this please!"

Carnoim hung his head low.

"Why are we even here again?"

The electric man leading them stopped and opened one of the interrogation room doors.

"Great question my man. Why don't we ask our newest informant."

They all crowded into the dark, bleak interrogation room. Sitting at the table was a large, muscular man in a tight suit and cape.

"And his name is...?"

The man looked up, worry on his face.

"My name...? S-Super Werren. I'm this world's number 1 hero!"

The Rilo extended his hand.

"Name's Rilo, leader of SHS National Guard Squadron 12A. And you, my good fellow, will be telling us everything you saw..."

Super Werren shook his hand just to be subjected to hundreds of volts that caused his body to convulse violently. The rest of the squadron watched with great interest...

Off the Eastern Coast - 12/03 7:46 am 51EE

Carleton took a long sip from his cup of tea.

"It seems we're approaching."

Hiro looked out to the sea, the ominous shape of an island appearing just beyond the horizon.

"Finally, this boat is not stable whatsoever. I just want this mission to be over with."

Carleton smirked.

"Don't hold your tongue. I have a feeling this mission won't be as simple as we believe."

Hiro raised an eyebrow.

"Really? What could be so hard about retrieving a single stone?"

Carleton poured out the rest of his tea.

"Who knows..."

Hiro watched with intrigue.

"Whatever you say, weirdo."

A battle brew on the dawn of a new day. A battle this Era has yet to bear witness to...