"Azarath Metrion Zinthos! Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"
Rachel's fingers twitched, her instincts desperate to cast her magic. She could feel the energy rising to her fingertips, but the spell vaporized, leaving them helpless as she and Cassandra plummeted through the sky, having been hurled from the high tower.
The girls, aged 10 and 8, reacted quickly and without fear. Unlike normal children, they had seen too much chaos to be phased by a fall from such heights.
Rachel's attempt at magic failed, while Cassandra tried to drive her sword into the tower walls to slow their descent. The blade bounced off the surface with a sharp metallic clank.
"Calm," came a cold, raspy voice.
Chilling fingers brushed against their scruffs, sending shivers down their spines as they were lifted from their fall. The descent slowed, and they were soon gliding through the air. The children looked up, their wide eyes catching the sight of enormous moth-like wings keeping them afloat.
Their gaze traveled further up to meet large green eyes, segmented like an insect's. The creature's black skin glistened with patches of blue on its chest, arms, and legs.
Cassandra's reaction was immediate; she swung her sword at the creature's arm, but Zion, now in his Big Chill form, merely gave her a gentle shake, calming her down. Rachel, on the other hand, looked with curious fascination. Even in Hell, she had never seen a creature quite like this.
With Cassandra now subdued, Zion carried them through the sky, gliding as he gave them a sweeping view of the sprawling castle-city below. It was a sight to behold. The castle, illuminated under the starry sky, was a monumental structure—a fusion of medieval grandeur and futuristic design. Towers of stone stood alongside shimmering golden circuits, creating an intricate maze of spires, domes, and glowing pathways. The entire structure seemed alive, humming faintly with energy.
As they soared over the castle walls, the thickness of the stone—strong enough to withstand a Kryptonian's punches—became apparent. The walls, taller and more fortified than any the girls had ever seen, guarded the city within. Big Chill gently descended, allowing them to land with their feet just inches above the ground.
"Let's take a detour," Big Chill said in his raspy voice, as his hands reached for the Omnitrix device on his chest.
A flash of golden light enveloped him, and his form began to shift. His humanoid features morphed into that of a beast—his legs shrinking, arms thickening, and his blue-black skin now covered in thick orange fur. His eyes disappeared, replaced by gills on the sides of his neck, and two pairs of tusks jutted from his wide mouth. Long claws formed on his hands, sharp enough to cut through metal. The transformation completed with a metallic collar appearing around his neck, adorned with the Omnitrix symbol.
"ROOOOAR!"
The bestial cry erupted from Zion's new form—Wildmutt—a roar so powerful it shook the earth beneath them. Cassandra instinctively took a step back, her sword raised defensively, while Rachel stood still, awe-struck by the transformation.
"Grwl!" Wildmutt growled, conveying to the girls that they should climb onto his back.
Rachel, understanding, turned to Cassandra and pointed toward Wildmutt's back. The massive creature slowly moved behind Rachel, opening his mouth wide as he gently bit her cloak and threw her onto his back.
He then walked over to Cassandra, who held her sword tightly, ready to defend herself. But Wildmutt merely lowered his body, inviting her to climb on. Rachel extended her hand to Cassandra in a gesture of trust. After a brief moment of hesitation, Cassandra took Rachel's hand and climbed up, seating herself in front of her older companion.
"Graaa," Wildmutt barked softly, signaling that they should hold on tight.
"Hold tight," Rachel echoed, wrapping her arms around Cassandra as they clutched Wildmutt's thick fur.
Once they were settled, Wildmutt didn't waste any time. With a powerful leap, he charged forward, quickly accelerating to the speed of a car. The wind whipped against the girls' faces as they hurtled across the black plains.
The landscape shifted rapidly. The flat, featureless ground of black and gold gave way to an expansive forest. But this was no ordinary forest—its trees were geometric, their trunks and branches formed of sharp, angular shapes. The leaves, too, were strange, resembling flattened pixels, while the ground beneath them was uneven yet perfectly symmetrical, as if crafted by some cosmic architect. Everything was black and gold, a bizarre but mesmerizing mechanical beauty.
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The girls marveled at the sight before realizing they were not alone.
Small creatures, their bodies a blend of black with glowing green circuitry, darted from tree to tree. Their round eyes observed the passing trio curiously, some following them for a time before disappearing into the foliage.
Suddenly, heavier steps approached, scattering the smaller critters. A pack of wolf-like beasts emerged, their long noses sniffing the air as their sharp ears twitched in response to Wildmutt's presence. Their circle eyes, glowing with an eerie green light, scanned the girls before howling excitedly as they ran alongside them. Rachel couldn't sense their emotions, but she knew they were sentient.
The wolves soon dispersed, replaced by another creature—a tiger-like beast, far larger and more muscular than the wolves. Its short snout and rounded ears gave it an imposing presence, and its twin tails flicked behind it as it growled, challenging Wildmutt.
"Grawwww!" Wildmutt barked in response, slamming his body into the tiger as they ran.
The two creatures struggled for dominance, growling and pushing against each other. Then, with a powerful leap, Wildmutt jumped over the tiger, allowing it to crash into a tree. The beast huffed in frustration but did not pursue, and Wildmutt barked a final time before increasing his speed, leaving the tiger behind.
As they ran through the forest, the air suddenly shifted. A strong wind blew from above, prompting the girls to look up. Their eyes widened in amazement as a colossal bird flew overhead, its wingspan covering the entire sky. The bird's shadow cast a dark blanket over them as it soared through the air, its powerful thrusters propelling it forward with ease.
The ground beneath them began to tremble again. This time, the vibrations were stronger—heavier. Ahead, they saw a towering figure rise above the treetops. A mechanical T-rex, its massive frame casting a shadow over the forest. Its gold eyes glowed menacingly, and each step it took sent shockwaves through the earth, causing rocks to bounce.
"ROAR!" The T-rex let out a deafening bellow, shaking the very trees.
Undeterred, Wildmutt sprinted toward it, matching the beast's roar with one of his own. "ROAR!"
The mechanical giant paused, its glowing eyes scanning Wildmutt before it huffed and turned, stomping away into the depths of the forest.
With the top predator retreating, no other creatures dared approach. Wildmutt continued his race through the darkened forest until they reached a narrow, jagged split in the mountain. The rocks around them resembled the gaping maw of a beast, ready to swallow them whole. Without hesitation, Wildmutt leapt into the dark chasm.
The walls of the mountain hummed with energy, glowing golden veins of circuitry coursing through the rock, pulsating like the heartbeat of the earth itself.
They emerged on the other side into a landscape unlike anything they had ever seen. The ground was a rolling plane of soft waves, undulating like the surface of a gentle sea. Wildmutt raced across it, his steps causing ripples in the strange, living terrain.
Creatures began to emerge from the ground, leaping into the air without warning. Small fish-like beings jumped alongside them, their sleek bodies shimmering as they darted through the waves of the land. Rachel reached out her hand, and one of the creatures grazed her fingers before diving back into the earth.
Then, the largest of them all appeared—a monolithic creature, its size dwarfing everything around it. With a deep, whale-like hum, it surfaced for just a moment before disappearing back into the earth, as silently as it had come.
With the great creature's departure, the landscape returned to its calm state. There was a lingering sense of awe in the air, but also a deep, quiet fear. The sea of land beneath them held unimaginable depths, and in those depths, creatures beyond comprehension slumbered.
Soon, they reached the edge of the black lands, where the ground blended into the red desert of Mars. The contrast of black and red was striking, the veins of black reaching forward like the roots of some great digital tree.
Wildmutt charged into the red desert, leaving footprints in the sand as a small white light enveloped the girls, shielding them from the harsh wind and heat. Rachel looked at the protective glow surrounding her body, sensing the life energy within it.
Her gaze shifted to the horizon, where the red Martian sun rose, painting the sky in shades of crimson and gold. The sight was breathtaking, a surreal landscape that felt like the birth of a new world.
The ground beneath them began to change once again. Small patches of Martian grass appeared, the first signs of life reclaiming the barren planet. The air grew more humid as they neared the next destination.
In the distance, floating islands came into view. Massive landmasses suspended in the sky, each one a sanctuary of its own. Waterfalls cascaded from the largest of the islands, creating a misty veil that covered the ground below. Buildings of various shapes and sizes dotted the landscape, their architecture alien yet majestic.
As they entered the capital city, M'acellendra, they passed through streets filled with Martian citizens. Floating creatures, humanoid figures went about their daily lives, their eyes barely glancing at the trio on Wildmutt's back.
The orange beast continued through the city until they reached the edge of a massive hollow that descended hundreds of meters into the Martian crust. The hollow was a marvel of engineering, with multiple levels carved into the rock, each one interconnected by bridges and platforms. Water from the floating island above cascaded into the hollow, creating a network of rivers and streams that nourished the city below.
This was M'acellendra—the newly upgraded capital of Mars, a testament to Zion's ingenuity and J'emm's vision for the future of their people.
At the center of the hollow, at the lowest level, stood the king's castle, a symbol of J'emm's desire to remain close to his people. The new city was a perfect blend of nature and technology, a thriving colony that would one day transform Mars into a lush, green planet.
Wildmutt gazed down at the city below, his eyes reflecting the quiet majesty of M'acellendra. He gave a final, deep growl before leaping into the hollow, taking the girls with him to meet the king.