4:36 AM Sept 22 20XX
“The Oshiro Zone”

It was as if the entire world had felt the shock wave. No one knew what had happened, scientists around the world were investigating for the past few days trying to find an explanation for it. The shock wave didn't cause any physical damage, but they figured that something must have happened. And they were going to find out.

Dr. Oshiro was one of those scientists who were working on an answer to the occurrence. Normally his priorities would be elsewhere, like what on earth happened to Nido and Meteor Man a few weeks ago as the answer he had received from Meteor Man was very disjointed. But Thatguy had contacted a group of scientists and was willing to pay them a hefty amount of money to find the answer.

Oshiro himself had been sitting at the computer for six hours now, tapping his fingers on the keyboard as he kept watching the exact moment the shock wave took place.

“As if this couldn't be more boring,” the Doctor muttered under his breath. Suddenly, something caught his attention. It was like a slight ripple in the sky. Oshiro paused the short video and stared at it for a moment. He looked at the area where it was located, a large highway. With a satisfactory chuckle, he smiled and reached for his phone. “I think I got it. There's a surge of dimensional activity over the major highway.”

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3:21 AM Sept 29 20XX
"The Oshiro Zone"

Dr. Oshiro tightened the loose bolt with a slow but firm squeeze of the wrench. The last bolt was secure, and the entire outside panel was now sealed off. He put the wrench back in its place within the toolbox, then took a few steps back to where Smash Man, Nido, Alvin, and Celeste were waiting. Resting his hands on his sides, he stood back and admired his work.

"Well gang, it's finally finished," the Doctor beamed. "Eighty-five million Zennies well spent."

"Wait, did you say eighty-FIVE million!?" Nido whined.

"Darn, you're right," Smash Man frowned. "Doc, you went over budget! What are we gonna do for battle supplies? Or sandwiches, for that matter?"

"Now now, don't get sour just yet," the Doctor reassured. "Trust me when I say we won't be needing Zennies where we're going. Or battle supplies, for that matter. I could go for a sandwich, though..."

He tossed each person a small pack containing the vitals: food rations, water, flash bangs, Oshiro Units for quick escapes. With their packs, the four marched into the strange machine. It looked almost like an escape pod from some science-fiction spaceship, except there wasn't anywhere to escape to, per se. It was hooked up to a computer displaying all sorts of options and drop-down boxes, overwhelming to the uninformed. Oshiro messed with a few setting last-minute before entering the capsule with the others. A steel door closed in front of them, closing off the outside world to the five inside.

"Wait, what about Tradley?" Alvin asked.

The Doctor huffed. "What about Tradley? He stormed out of here a few days ago and hasn't been back since. Personally, I'd say 'good riddance' if it wasn't poor sportsmanship. As for Horby, he said he'd rather stay here and see Meteor Man off personally."

"Oh, alright." Alvin sniffed a little. "Wait, will this hurt?"

"I sure hope not, kid," Oshiro answered back. "Avoiding pain's sort of the reason I built this."

The chamber started to whirr, giving off a purple glow. Lights circled around the five, spinning faster and faster until they formed a continuous ring of light. The walls looked as if they were starting to dissolve, revealing a soft blue grid patter that seemed to stretch for miles. A light intensified, obscuring the group's vision. The whirring grew louder and louder, almost deafening, until--

Nido spoke up. "Wait, what if we get lost?"

"I'm hoping our Oshiro Units will track one another!" the Doctor tried to yell over the noise. "If not, head for civilization and form a plan from there! Everything should work out for the best though, so I wouldn't --"

FLASH!

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3:24 AM Sept 29 20XX
"The Oshiro Zone"

Dr. Oshiro slowly raised his head, removing his sleeping mask.

"What the hell?"

He had heard a noise from the lab. Noises did not make the Doctor feel good about his personal safety. He grabbed his "fish gun" prototype from the wall, threw a lab coat over his pajamas, and ran to the lab.

The door opened up. Steam billowed out of the capsule. The lights had stopped. The purple faded back to a steely gray. Nothing was inside of the machine.

"Aw hell, must've been a malfunction or something." The Doctor sighed with relief. "Worst eighty-five million Zennies I ever spent, I swear..."

He walked over to the control panel, double-checking the status log. There was no indication of sabotage or other means of foul play, only an unplanned launch. Oshiro re-adjusted the launch timer and shut down the machine.

Good, it's just a slight problem, no unexpected hopping. For a second I thought that she-devil had somehow discovered the... well, it's of no consequence if she does, for it will self-destruct without my password anyway. Good ol' self-destruct sequences. Gotta love 'em. They're a classic, even.

Dr. Oshiro walked down the hallways, gun in hand.

I hope the noise didn't wake the others, though. No, we'll be leaving in two days, and they need all the sleep they can get before we travel with the machine. It's not quite ready yet but I should be finishing everything up tomorrow, once the rest of the parts arrive.

After making some quick rounds, the Doctor shed his lab coat, put his bizarre weapon back on the wall, and climbed into bed.

Outside of the Oshiro Zone front gates was a small group of robots... and a woman.

"We attack in the morning," she ordered. Her other hand straightened the whip.

Another brick fell from the wall, adding to the pile of rubble strewn through the street.

The town was filled with burning and blood. Trees collapsed into shops. Windows smashed in with large boulders. Carriages overturned. Fresh fruit broken to bits. Priceless pottery smashed. A library cleaved in two, the giant tear in the middle still flickering with the residue of dark magic. The town well stained with bodies. Warriors, farmers, scholars. Women. Children. The stench of the dead filled the area until it was difficult to breathe.

Another brick fell from the wall, joining hundreds of similar bricks thrown in a similar fashion.

The man in the black cloak shuffled down the dirt road. He was surrounded by unfathomable despair, yet he did not seem even the slightest bit rattled. The town's bulletin board was the only thing left perfectly intact. Several notices were tacked on in seemingly random order. Above everything else was a bright green poster. The man paid it no attention and continued along the path, leaving the carnage behind him.

Another brick fell from the wall.

Another town victim to Mordecai's endless rage.

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Vilrich scratched his head.

"Well, shit... looks like we got here too late, huh kiddo?"

He gave his companion a hearty pat on the back. Vilrich was a big man with a big heart, and he always tried to lighten the mood somehow. Everyone respected Vilrich for his power and loved him for his personality; on a good day, you could catch him with his broadsword "Sál Skemmdarvargur" in one hand, and a pint of beer in the other.

Unfortunately this mood was impossible to lighten, especially when you consider the fact that his companion for this particular trip was Jasper, the other Guild Master. Jasper was a short girl with hair black as midnight and wisdom far beyond her years, but she didn't care much for the assortment of antics Vilrich dispensed on a daily basis. She especially hated when he called her "kiddo" and he very well knew that; if they weren't on assignment she might have taken delight in slapping him around a few times with her Plus Greatsword, or torturing his health points with a few of her Stray Wisps. For now, though, she just bit down and put up with it.

"You know I hate when you call me 'kiddo'..." Jasper just sighed. "But yeah, this place is a real slaughterhouse."

"It's strange, I've never seen such an old-fashioned place so close to Denmodou before," Vilrich pondered. He started to look between the ruined houses. "No way... look at this, it's an actual carriage. As in, you use a goddam horse in it."

"Damn it, this isn't a field trip!" Jasper's nerves were on edge. She'd seen a ravaged town littered with the dead plenty of times in the past, but this one was... different. It was as if there was some otherworldly presence just lingering here, like it was still somehow harvesting the area's spirit energy.

The elder Guild Master's eyes wandered to the town square, which was strangely devoid of any real carnage. Even the bulletin board was spotless.

"Jinkies, gang! I think I've found a clue!" Vilrich grinned, ripping the poster from the board.

"Cut it out already!" Jasper snapped. "... Wait, did you say you found something?"

Vilrich read the advertisement aloud. "Smash! Strategize! Survive! Mercenaries, warlords, magicians, and marauders alike! You are all invited to partake in Lynndef's first-annual Arena Fiends tournament, a veritable test of power, wisdom, and courage! Travel across many diverse arenas conquering man, monster, and machine as you collect ladder points for the chance to duke it out in the grand finals, where you and one other lucky warrior could walk away with a rare Nova Spark piece!"

Shit. Jasper's mood quickly drifted from bad to worse. Whoever... or WHATever caused this mess, it's probably headed for that tournament. I can't let it get its hands on a Nova Spark. I don't want to imagine the cleanup after what it does with that much power...

"Hey, Vil." Jasper tossed a potion to the other Guild Master. "You up for some training?"

Vilrich looked up from the paper to Jasper, then back at the paper.

"You don't mean... No! No way, are you serious!?"

"I'm dead serious." She cracked her knuckles through her hand gauntlets.

Vilrich's eyes widened, his smile breaking into a giant grin. "Let's kick some ass!"

9:52 AM, Month of Final Harvest, 24
The Pious Monastery

Jeus slammed his armored fists on the table. "But why am I so weak? Why is my path so dark when all the other knights have been blessed so?"

"I do not know. Nobody could ever know. Your fellow knights have told me of your valiant deeds on the field of battle, but I have yet to see you in prayer. Attone your mind to match your thirst for might, and perhaps you shall illuminate your own path." Geoff, the lord of the Pious Monastery, was revered across the lands, but Jeus was too headstrong to heed his guidance.

"I've had enough of your cryptic metaphors and blind faith! You're all fanatics, and you can burn for all I care!" Jeus stormed out, and Geoff barely batted an eyebrow.

"He has made his choice. I can only pray that fate brings him back to faith."

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9:51 PM, Month of Final Harvest, 24

Jeus was not used to staying awake so late, with curfew at the Monastery strictly set at 8:30. Too ashamed to seek shelter in his own village, he instead turned to the forest to live in isolation. Perhaps he would be forgotten, or perhaps he would find enlightenment after all. Jeus enjoyed the freedom; he ate when he was hungry, hunted when he was lacking, and slept when he was tired. As he drifted off to slumber, thoughts churned in his head. Maybe he'd be a mercenary in the next city over. Maybe he'd join the arena and become a famous pit fighter. Whatever happened, he was going to live day by day from now on, with nobody ruling over him.

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2:43 AM, Month of Final Harvest, 25

Jeus's dreams were violently shattered when he heard screaming from his village. Taking up his blade and armor, he rushed back home, his grudge against the Monastery all but forgotten. By the time he arrived, the town was already entirely razed. There was one figure standing; through the orange flames and pitch black sky, he saw the face of a rotting, four-armed behemoth of a man. Accepting this cruel fate as punishment for his sacrilege, Jeus prepared for his own demise at the hands of the monster.

Just as a vicious blade sliced through the air towards him, a gray light shone upon the beast, driving it back. The gray figure engaged the abomination in close quarters combat, causing it intense pain with every strike of his blade. As the monster fled, the gray figure gave chase, leaving Jeus alone in the smoldering ruins of his home. He sought out any survivors, but he found none -- not even Geoff. Adamant in his resolve, he took the teachings of the omen to heart, slung Geoff's blade upon his back, and set off in his hunt of the abomination.

For Geoff. For his Gray Savior. For the Gods he now believed in.

"That story again? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, we're sure!"

"Ha ha... alright, I'll start from the beginning."

"Yesss!"

"Okay, have a seat. Our tale begins nearly a hundred years ago..."

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Life was different back then. Monster attacks were commonplace, and a special team known as the Force Hunters existed with the sole purpose of defending their hometowns from raids and ambushes. An exceptionally talented Force Hunter by the name of Koury Boscht started life as a simple farmhand, and when the seasons permitted he would return to his home, taking delight in raising a new harvest.

Even at his young age, Koury was still highly respected by the other Force Hunters. His skill and reputation was only surpassed by his modesty; he didn't care for the lavish castle life of the imperial Hunters, instead choosing to stay on his farm caring for crops. Despite this choice, he still kept his mind sharp and his reflexes sharper, training every day to hone his might as a Hunter.

This all changed when Koury's village was suddenly under attack from monsters he'd never seen before. Their black, ethereal bodies leaked a haze as if they would fall apart at any minute, yet these beings housed unseen amounts of evil energy. Koury brandished his blade and sliced through the waves of monsters effortlessly, following their trail to the deep forest. This was his first time leaving the village during an attack, but Koury wanted to find the source of these creatures and eliminate it before it grew any larger.

Eventually he reached a clearing in the woods, where several Force Hunters were already doing battle with a fearsome dark lord. His head was covered with some sort of strange helmet, with what appeared to be a visor concealing any facial features. Instead of robes or chainmail, the armor was compressed and sleek, with no visible seams or links. The technology seemed almost alien to Koury, whose life was instead dominated by magical influence.

The dark lord swatted down the Force Hunters with a single shockwave blast, then rushed straight for Koury. He responded with his blade, blocking a fierce dashing punch and knocking the dark lord back. Rearing his blade, Koury threw several bolts of fire at the lord, but to no avail as the flames bounced away from his frame before ever touching the armor. Surprised, Koury quickly sidestepped a sudden blast of focused line energy before reacting with an electrical shot of his own. The dark lord shrieked in pain; lightning proved effective against the new foe. Koury shocked the dark lord once more before rushing over and kicking him down with his mighty boot. He lifted his sword for the final strike when the dark lord's helmet shattered against the ground.

"Please..."

Koury stopped in his tracks. Was one of the Force Hunters calling for help?

"Finish... finish me off quickly..."

No, he had not been mistaken. The voice came from in front of him. Koury walked over to the fallen dark lord. The foreign armor's blue glow had faded, its shoulders cracked, steam hissing from the right leg. The helmet's visor flickered on and off with images and signs. The lord lay there on the grass and dirt, with beautiful white hair flowing in every direction. Green eyes, barely open. A tiny red scar along the soft radiant skin. Lips as soft as clouds. A single tear fell from the left eye.

The dark lord was actually a lady.

Koury sheathed his blade, crouching down by the girl. He extended a helping hand.

"But... you have slain me..."

He shook his head. His hand was still reaching outward.

She grabbed Koury's hand, allowing herself to be pulled up from the ground.

"But... why? I don't understand."

Koury and the dark lady were walking down the forest path.

"It's against my nature," Koury sighed. "I've defeated witches, necromancers, dark lords... but they've all been made of evil energy. I guess just couldn't kill another human being."

"Yes, but I could have wiped out your entire village! I could have wiped out you!"

"And I could have done the same," Koury shrugged.

"Exactly my point," the dark lady reasoned. "Both of us were within seconds of killing each other! And yet... you didn't."

She suddenly stopped in the middle of the forest path. Koury looked over. Her head was lowered, her body trembling slightly.

"... I've never seen such kindness before."

Koury put his hand behind his neck nervously. "It... it was nothing, really..."

The dark lady lurched over to Koury, grabbing his shoulders with her hands.

"You fool!" She shook him a couple of times. Her face was in tears. "Don't you get it!? I'm a dark lord! Evil! An outcast of the world! And... you lied for me... You saved my life!"

Koury didn't know what to say. He just stood there stunned.

The dark lady put her head down on his shoulder. She started to laugh, still crying.

"I've been spared by either the noblest of Hunters or the mightiest of fools," she chuckled.

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Koury sheathed his blade, crouching down by the girl. He extended a helping hand.

"But... you have slain me..."

He shook his head. His hand was still reaching outward.

She grabbed Koury's hand, allowing herself to be pulled up from the ground.

"I'm going to help you out," Koury said. He pulled his sword back out and held it low by his sides. "Don't say a word. Just follow my lead." He picked up the cracked helmet and hastily shoved it over her head, once again concealing her identity.

Puzzled by his response, the dark lady was at a loss for words.

The other Force Hunters were coming to their senses. Groans came from the Hunters' aches and sores. They looked over to Koury, still standing with his blade.

"Force Hunters!" Koury yelled. "I have defeated the dark lord. He has been disarmed and will be escorted to the castle court for a proper punishment. Worry about your own safety and return to your homes. Rest well, and prepare yourselves for the next battle."

The Force Hunters nodded in agreement and silent relief. One by one, they picked themselves up, thanking Koury for his help and praising his strength. Koury and the dark lady walked in the other direction, following the dirt path cut through the forest.

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Her name was Ivaryse Medalein.

"But you can call me Ise if you want," she said.

"I'm Koury. Koury Boscht." He motioned towards the dark lady's suit. "I've been meaning to ask you... what exactly are you wearing?"

"Oh, this thing?" Ise tugged at her sleeves. "It's my Stream Delta, but I guess it looks a bit different from my customizations. I put a lot of work into its refraction shields."

Ise glanced over and noticed Koury looked as if he had just been whacked nose-first with a sledgehammer.

"You don't know what a Stream Delta is?"

"It sounds like a river to be honest," Koury said.

Ise muttered to herself. "Wow, you really are hopeless..." She turned to Koury. "This is called Barrier Gear. You wear it, and it reduces the impact of any damage you take. It's like if you put on clothes for when you go to fight things."

"You mean like armor?" Koury asked. "I have some armor at home, but most of the time I don't remember to put it on. I've gotten used to moving around without it."

"Wait, those are your normal clothes?" Ise sighed. "You idiot... don't you care if you die out here?"

And to think he could have... Ugh, perish the thought. After all, I'm still alive, right?

"Whatever. Now I have a question of my own." She sat down on a nearby rock. "How did you concentrate so much plasma into a focused attack?"

Koury retrieved his blade. "You mean, like this?" The sword began to spark with electricity.

"Aiyeeee!" Ise fell off the stone and hid behind a tree. "What are you thinking, charging a piece of metal like that!? You probably enjoy playing with death!"

Koury laughed. "Calm down, alright? It's perfectly safe." He touched the blade with his free hand, still lively sparking. "I just charmed the sword with Kilobolt. Entry-level magic."

"If you say so," Ise shuddered, inching away from the tree and back toward the forest path. Koury put the sword back in its scabbard, the lightning dissipating with one final spark. The two continued down the forest path, each intrigued with one another. They both had a lot to learn.

Ise reached over and punched him in the arm. "You're still making my skin crawl, Koury."

"Some dark lord you turned out to be..."

"Hey!"