Defending a Realm: The End Journeys

(This tale is set in a realm known to many of us, in its last days)

The enormous banner promoting Sable, Final Judgement, Lady Goshawke and Zombie Control still fluttered above the entrance to the Hall of Heroes. Despite this, few people - heroes or civilians - were filing through at the time. There seems to be an air of resignation and depression among the city inhabitants, thought Tri-blade as he walked up the steps and into the Hall.

His footsteps echoed off the walls as he strolled by the plaques and memorials to the great heroes and events of recent years. He took a brief moment to put his hands on the Legion plaque, and smiled at knowing that he at least had a minute part to play in their early-day successes at thwarting evil and maintaining some beacon of hope for innocents.

Tri-blade walked on. He had made a point to visit the place regularly ever since his discovery of the Professor's old prison, as it served to keep his mind fresh on the city's needs, as well as keep hope alive.

He walked past portraits of Jormungandr, Superbeast, Vertigo. Some he knew, some he never met. Each of them however, left their marks. Angel Sun, Force, Strange Quark.

The smiling face of Sin brought a mild chuckle to Tri-blade's face. Not really a rival in the true sense of the word (Sin versus Captain Avenger was more famous and more heated), but almost certainly the oldest rival Tri-blade had known in the realm. They had clashed long ago, when Tri-blade wasn't even part of the Legion and Sin was known by the oddball name of Babagadouche. Look at us both now, smiled Tri-blade.

Banderpoop, Lord Vindictus, Karlito's Way. Getting to the people who nearly predated his time in the realm. Tri-blade grinned at the memory of hearing of Karlito's Way's journey to help form Nine Planets Council, and the potential of him trying to join that group. It never happened - Karlito's Way moved on without ever meeting Tri-blade, and his own path soon took him to other adventures. Luckily he did get to meet other 9PCers and befriend them. Heroes always find opportunities to collaborate and work together when the time calls for it.

A lit doorway at the end of the hall, and the sound of sombre whistling, caught Tri-blade's attention. He called out, and received a "Coming!" in return. Soon, the wisened face of Doctor Toshio, curator of the Hall, appeared, and the doctor made his way over to his friend, broom in hand.

"Good to see you again, doctor," said Tri-blade as they shook hands.

"Likewise. Same story that brings you by?" asked Dr. Toshio.

"Same-ish, I suppose. What's that tune you were whistling? Seemed pretty sad."

Toshio sighed. "Just a Japanese melody, of time passing, colours fading, leaves falling. I believe it is reality having the final say on everything, even happy endings."

Tri-blade nodded, "Nothing is forever."

They walked to a bench and sat. "I guess you're not particularly busy of late?" asked Tri-blade.

Toshio shook his head. "The Hall of Heroes had a great flow of traffic a couple of weeks ago, but that time has passed too. This city, well I believe that the talk and the rumours are true."

"That the city is dying?"

"Cities, Tri-blade. Do you know about Victory City?"

"Not a thing, and don't care to. I know some folks, like the Turbulence guys, sometimes roam there, and I even heard that Sin has made that his permanent residence. But me? Once I heard that place reeks even more of Jeffy than here, I have no desire to relocate even if temporarily."

Toshio adjusted his heavy glasses and blinked. "Just as well, anyway. Victory City is falling apart too."
Tri-blade's mouth opened in surprise. "Really now?"

"Hai... they're each interconnected. And with it, the nation is on the verge of collapse. What would happen if these two centres of heroes were to perish? No, there is a cataclysm brewing, I have heard several different sources claim it. I fear for this planet."

Tri-blade rose to his feet. "So this isn't anything evil?"

"Evil? No, unfortunately. If it was, then you could counter it. Get your elite heroes to stop the menace, it's been done against Zigon, Astronikus, the Sin Lords. I fear this is a truly unstoppable threat. Tri-blade my friend, you may need to prepare to leave."

"The city?"

"The planet. This reality, even."

Dr. Toshio rose, bowed graciously to his friend, and turned.

"Where would *you* go?" shouted Tri-blade, already feeling the panic beating on his head.

"To my family, of course. I have a grand-daughter you know. I miss her dearly. Family is best. I must go, I apologize. Farewell, friend." Toshio continued to walk away.

As Tri-blade turned to walk out, Dr. Toshio finally allowed the tears to slide down his face. He wept silently, still holding his broom.

"Come with me, Rosa," said Tri-blade as he walked towards the hangar at Castle Haven.

"I'm just getting settled," his goddaughter complained.

"Promise, this is better than that silly Bad Girls Club. Come."

"Okay, Tri," she relented. With a stretch, Rosa got up from the couch and skipped after her godfather.

One of the Darkstar stealth planes sat on the tarmac, engine already in full hum. It was a bit of a relic compared to the newer aircraft seen within the realm, but its primary purpose remained unmatched - superior speed combined with stealth technology that enabled it to be virtually undetectable by standard physical, optical or electromagnetic methods.

"Where are we heading?" asked Rosa as they climbed in. Tri-blade took the main pilot controls, Rosa sat behind in the engineering section.

"Some place we've never been, Rosa, and a place I always wished to see in full before I left the realm. "We're heading to the home of [F]oundation."

Rosa gasped, "Whoa-a."

---

Tri-blade continued to press Black Lightning. "Come on! There is nowhere else in the world that may hold the secret to saving this place."

Black Lightning remained unmoved. "No, again. You know that we have all been sworn to total secrecy. Even though you have been to Foundation, you only were brought there - and later escorted from - in secret, therefore you're not entitled."

"Come on, B.L. This goes beyond a promise to protect your old hideout... which as you know, was already destroyed thanks to internal strife and vindictive actions by one Vol-"

"Enough. It is destroyed, as you say. Let the memory of that place die along with the physical structure, then. I will not reveal its location."

"Even if the world depended on it?"

"The fate of the world cannot be altered by sharing the knowledge of Foundation's location. Don't you understand,... I would not sleep knowing I betrayed the wishes of its founders. I cannot."

Tri-blade held back his frustrations a while longer. "It would take me forever to find and then plead my case to Aingealag. Even longer to Lady Bombshell or Heroic Heidi. You alone can help me."

"No," said Black Lightning with a tone of finality.

Tri-blade decided that he needed to try his lone trump card - it was a shot in the dark, but he needed to play on the possibility of future hope.

"Have you read the Asimov series from which Foundation got its roots?" he asked.

---

"So how did you find out where Foundation's located?" asked Rosa as she gazed at the radar. The jet was moving at incredible speed, passing over southern India without sound or alarm.

Tri-blade did not blink, his eyes focused straight ahead. He titled the controls slightly, and the plane began to head in a slightly more northerly path.

Only after the slight route adjustment did Tri-blade speak. "Only through a hunch and estimate of Wanderer's thought process, Rosa."

"Huh?"

"I don't think you ever met him, but Wanderer proved to be one of the greatest analytical minds that SHC ever saw, Rosa. One of the great devices he provided for heroes to use was his Battle Calculator. For some time, there was a thought that it was a nefarious method to gather information on all heroes to benefit his organisation above others, and it may very well have had such a role in the early days. However... I think the information gathering process was benign at worst. Gathering information from all who battled, in whatever circumstance, was part and parcel of the Foundation's directive. Information and data.

"As such, it further parallels the Foundation here with the Foundation in the novels. With that in mind, I've deduced that the additional mythology of the book version applied to the real version that existed in SHC for all-too-brief a period.

"And within that mythology," Tri-blade continued, "is a key to the hope of civilisation in this realm."

"So where are we anyway?" asked Rosa after a short period of observation. "Somehow, my radar and tracking screen are working but there's no geographical info on-screen."

"Not sure," lied Tri-blade quickly. He had already disabled that functionality in the engineering controls, but hated withholding the information from Rosa. "When we get off we can probably re-calibrate using our ring's GPS tracker... although I'd ask we wait a bit. I made a promise to Black Lightning and I'd hate to spoil it by opening it up to anyone who may be trying to hack our network."

The plane, instead of descending, shot back above cloud level, and Rosa was shocked to see a floating rock pillar hovering above.

"Now that, godpa,... is incredible."

Tri-blade nodded.

Before them rested a series of majestic buildings and towers, the tallest of which lay in the centre and stood about ten stories in height. Tri-blade positioned the jet above the landmass, looking for a spot to land.

"Over here," he said after a minute. "Let's take this thing down."

A slight banking to the left was made, before Tri-blade activated the VTOL capability, which allowed the jet to softly glide towards ground in an open area; the smooth stones provided for a perfect landing spot. Tri-blade and Rosa leapt from the aircraft and surveyed their surroundings. The fact that nobody inhabited this wondrous place brought an eerie sense to Tri-blade's thoughts. Such a majestic wonder, lost to the world and forbidden to enter. Yet, within the walls of these buildings the way to safety laid hidden. He did not hesitate.

A vicious roar stopped Tri-blade from wrenching open the door to the tower. With a shout, he jumped back. He motioned to Rosa to stay behind him. As the pair watched, the air in front of him took on a greenish hue, then swirled and twisted before solidifying into a tyrannical beast that stood over 12 feet tall. It looked down on Tri-blade through large dark eyes, before opening its mouth to reveal a large set of serrated teeth. It roared loudly.

"Abandoned tower, secret protector? Well if that isn't a cliché..." muttered Tri-blade.

The monster thrust a claw outwards and from it a deep purple energy beam shot out. Reflexively, Tri-blade drew out his weapons and held them in crisscross fashion in front. The beam struck the daggers and bounced in all directions. The heat from the beam made Tri-blade grunt and his muscles tense.

Rosa began to circle around, but the beast then threw his other claw out and fired a shot towards the young woman. It took enormous agility for Rosa to dodge the assault, but without a primary shielding mechanism, her attempt to close the distance was thwarted.

Suddenly, a bright fireball struck the monster dead in the chest area. It stumbled backwards in pain.

"What the -" began Rosa, as Tri-blade turned, already knowing where the unexpected assistance came from.

A heavily perspiring Aflima glided towards them, his fists aflame. He ran towards his friends, preparing to deliver another barrage to the beast. With a nod, Tri-blade turned towards the beast again. The Realm Defender quickly hurled one dagger at the beast, then immediately drew the third of his daggers from its holster. He ran as quickly as possible, knowing that Aflima had already thrown two fireballs behind him. Rosa put two fingers towards her head and stared at the monster.

Under the psychic attack of Rosa, the monster screamed and was left completely exposed to the combined weapon-based assault and screaming fireballs. Tri-blade's first dagger embedded itself into the beast's chest just before Aflima's fireballs exploded. Then, Tri-blade was slashing and spinning. He rained a multitude of slashes on the wounded creature before leaping backwards. Rosa then pinned the beast's claws back with a wave of her arms. Aflima jumped over his friend and allowed the fire to encompass his body, before hurtling himself directly at the monster's head. On contact, the beast collapsed. Tri-blade sheathed one dagger, stuck his arm out, and the embedded dagger disengaged itself and flew to Tri-blade's free hand. He clasped it quickly and stared at the defeated monster.

"Strike a pose?" said Aflima quietly, more a statement than a question or exclamation.
They each looked on as the monster began to dissolve again into the air.

"I thought we couldn't be detected?" asked Rosa as she looked at Aflima. "The ship's radar proof and comms were disabled from Legion?"

Aflima grinned. "Yes. You could mask your location and sight and even heat signature. But you can't hide a vapour trail."

Aflima laughed, and all Tri-blade could do is shrug his shoulders.

"Even so, it took a lot of energy to keep up with this thing. Hope you aren't looking to make battling monsters a regular thing over here... which is where, exactly? Fascinating place."

Tri-blade clapped Aflima on the shoulder.

"Welcome," Tri-blade said with a flourishing arm wave, "to Foundation."

Aflima grinned and with a mock bounce, replied, "Oooooh."

Rosa looked at the tower. "What happened to the door? It's not there anymore."

Tri-blade walked to a section of the tower and began pressing the walls in various spots. "Must be some additional magic meant to frustrate us. I know a door *was* here before that beast materialized. And I'm not ready to risk trying to teleport inside this place. Aflima, lend a hand?"

Aflima walked to join his friend in pressing for an entrance, while Rosa stepped back. She looked towards where the jet was located, then back at the tower. She allowed her eyes to rise a little higher - "It's moved upward! Up there!" she exclaimed, pointing vigorously. Her friends quickly looked, and saw a now-open doorway about 20 feet above them. With a leap, Aflima flew towards the entrance and looked around.

"Coast is clear. Come on up."

Rosa ran towards her godfather and jumped. Tri-blade allowed Rosa to jump off his extended hands and boosted her towards the entrance. Aflima caught her easily, then pulled her inside. A second later, Tri-blade appeared, using his own leg power instead of a portal, which drew a smirk from Aflima. They looked around inside, and viewed with wonder a central elevator unit with railings encircling it and blank monitor screens upon the walls.

"I suppose this is a command centre of sorts," began Tri-blade, "but at the same time, it could be a mere front or fake. Either way, we better move."

"Up or down?" asked Aflima.

Tri-blade walked to the lift. "Definitely down. The biggest secrets of a lair? Always lie beneath."

Tri-blade pressed various buttons, and on the fifth attempt, the lift began to vibrate slightly, and produced a low-pitched hum. The door opened.

"Wait," began Rosa, already dreading the response of rejection.

"If this is another trap, you'll be of better assistance to the both of us from right there, Rosa," came the immediate reply from Tri-blade.

"Oh, all right then," she pouted. She turned her attention to the panel of the elevator. "How does this activate?"

"Wait a second," said Tri-blade. He closed his eyes, thinking of a way down, somehow feeling that the device would recognize his thoughts. After a short period, he felt a voice reach out to him, not a human voice, but something else, trying to communicate.

"What do you wish?"

Not quite mechanical, but perhaps a spiritual and ethereal voice. It wasn't as crisp as the telepathic communications that he had received from Burning Daylight, MoDown or even Sin in the past, but it felt real and tangible. He thought firmly.

"To save the residents of this realm."

In an instant, the elevator doors closed, and the lift descended rapidly. Aflima and Rosa looked downwards as it descended into darkness.

Tri-blade kept his eyes closed for the duration of the descent. He did not want to risk losing whatever connection he made with the mysterious voice, and also wished to make a mental count of how quickly and how far he was travelling, in case he needed to make a speedy teleport away from his final destination.

"You are safe in here. No harm can come to you," the voice, as if sensing Tri-blade's concerns. Tri-blade relaxed, anyway.

The doors opened, and Tri-blade opened his eyes. He was in a very dimly-lit room, smaller than the one above, with walls that appeared to be made of smoke. Tri-blade stepped out and walked to the single visible item, a three-foot-tall altar with a bluish sphere sat on top.

"Am I in a different space? As far as we've gone down, we'd be well below where the floating islands started,..."

"You are partly correct. I can say no more. You can still return to the surface in full safety."

The voice showed no signs of impatience or anger, yet Tri-blade felt that he needed to get on with it quickly. His face hovered above the sphere, and its light shone a little more brightly. Realization dawned upon him.

"You're my spirit helper from Japan, aren't you," said Tri-blade quietly.

"Spirit helper to all heroes and others who began the quest to root out King Oni."

"I thought you disappeared forever."

"Yet I remain. And I shall remain here at the end. Through the will of the Foundation, and until the last streams of Ea itself tear through this reality... I remain."

"Then there is no way?" Tri-blade now had one hand on the altar, his other hovering just above the sphere.

"The unstoppable force. It is true. There is no preventing our destruction."

Both of Tri-blade's hands rested on the sphere. It shone even more brightly. "Then, sanctuary. Escape for all who need it. That avenue, must exist."

"Why would you presume it?" The voice seemed to beg of a quick answer, and Tri-blade was all-to-ready to provide it.

Tri-blade spoke in a deep and clear voice. "Because I believe in a Second Foundation."

---

Tri-blade's eyes were fully fixed on the sphere, oblivious to the now-moving parts of the wall. The smoke-like patterns had begun to swirl slowly in a steady fashion, but were lost in Tri-blade's sight by the keen shimmer of the blue sphere.

"Wanderer's leaving did not signify the beginning of the end of the Foundation, but rather an orchestration by a Second Foundation to ensure a way out when the time came. That, is what I believe," said Tri-blade forcefully.

The sphere changed colour, from blue to deep green, to a golden hue and slowly back to blue. Tri-blade did not remove his hands from the object.

"You know the first path already," it finally transmitted.

Tri-blade shook his head. "Yes, and I would not have it at all come to pass. The narrow door to my own realm would take forever to pull all bodies through, and I do not think it could support thousands of enhanced human and other beings without falling into chaos... I know it is a greedy and selfish thought, -"

"It is not selfish to think of the existing inhabitants. That aside, your doorway is already glutted. Each of the Atlantis doorways are on the brink of collapse. The next time you and your companions take that way, it could be the last."

His eyes scrunched up and eyebrows bent sharply, Tri-blade bent over the sphere. "I am afraid for these people, spirit. What chance does the Second Foundation offer?"

"Two. And they already exist. Whether one or both or neither are secure, it is not in my capacity to know."

Tri-blade dug into his mind. "It can't be Thrane. Aflima and myself wandered there briefly in the past."

"Ea seeks to engulf Thrane. The inhabitants there are endangered as much as those in this realm. There is no hope or salvation to be found there."

His hands relaxed slightly, as Tri-blade regained some remnants of composure. He was feeling the conflicting emotions of despair and rage knocking close by. "Then what or who, are the avenues of sanctuary?"

"It is those who can create worlds, who can offer passage towards them, who must be sought out. Within those worlds, might the extensions of our Foundation exist."

Tri-blade took his hands off the sphere. He looked upwards.

"I know one, already," he thought with relief.

"Our time is now ended," came the voice with a hint of finality.

Tri-blade considered trying to extend the conversation, but relented. He had an answer-of-sorts, something he could take back to the populace at large. If the likes of Captain Avenger, Supermonkey, Super Rakly and Nathan Brazil could be informed of this possibility, then word would spread quickly... and from there, the persons with the means of escape could engineer the safety of millions.

He wondered about those in deeper space, from the officers of the Orion and Relentless vessels in Earth orbit, to the likes of Sha'Kaal and the Keetarians on another planet, and those further afield such as the Zyxxy and Wall-Eva sentient beings. He'd have to arrange further communications when he got out of this place.

The elevator doors opened automatically this time, and Tri-blade did not hesitate. He looked a final time at the altar and the room without. The sphere's colour dissolved into a blackness; the smoke pattern was barely visible.

Tri-blade thought out, "Return", and the lift moved again.

---

The doors opened and Tri-blade stepped out to face Rosa, who sat cross-legged at the far end of the room. She looked to be in a state of meditation, although Tri-blade thought that she could very well have been napping away while he was in parts unknown.

"And Aflima?" he asked quickly.

Rosa got to her feet, and pointed upwards. "He's up a few levels, I think. Wanted to check for anything else."

"He won't find anything else," said Tri-blade. "This is a barren shell of what should have been enduring knowledge... it may live on somewhere, but not here, and if so, not for long. We must get out of here."

Rosa walked to her godfather and touched his arm. "What happened?"

Smiling, Tri-blade said, "I found a way." 

---

Aflima heard Tri-blade's voice below, and quickly broke off from his scanning of the upper levels of the tower. He leaped into the centre portion of the tower and slowly descended.

"It's a bit of a shame nobody's maintaining this place. I can't imagine the labour that went into these structures, seeing it an abandoned husk is depressing," he said as he laid eyes on Rosa and Tri-blade. His feet landed on the floor. "But you... what have you learned?" he continued.

"I don't have all the answers to my questions, but I have enough answers to suffice," replied Tri-blade. "And with it, everybody has a chance to get out of here alive. Gotta hurry, let's go."

Tri-blade jumped from the tower exit, quickly followed by an eager Rosa and Aflima. They were soon back at the aircraft. Aflima frowned at realizing the jet was only of the two-person variety.

"Aflima, don't worry. Once we're off this rock I'll re-open the comms and let you know progress. In the meantime, you can follow us at least most of the way. You'll be happy to know we're going to more familiar territory, well for you and me at least."

Aflima folded his arms. "Really, now? Where next?"

Tri-blade smiled. "The underwater sanctuary of Aegis, of course."

Rosa couldn't hold back a squeal of glee. "This trip gets better and better. How fun is *this*?"

Tri-blade put his hand on his god-daughter's shoulder. "Remember, this isn't a pleasure cruise, and there's no time for sightseeing, I'm sorry. The sooner we get things rolling, the better, and I don't know if there will be obstacles getting to the guys I need to speak with. It's been a while since I had any dealings with Aegis. Hopefully there won't be any red tape."

Rosa and Tri-blade entered the jet, and within minutes, they took off and headed across the ocean. Aflima took flight and followed at a distance.

"Foundation, then Aegis,... if Havenrock is next I'm going to start dancing," sighed Rosa contently.

"You're a real travel junkie, Rosa," said Tri-blade as the jet streaked over the Atlantic Ocean.

"You used to be eager like this too, godpa," she retorted.

Tri-blade sighed. He once was full of curiosity about this amazing world, so much like his parallel version of Earth, yet so different in its concentration of supers. Technology here was so far advanced in places, yet there remained slivers of pre-industrial age civilization across the globe. People still drilled for oil, bartered meat for clothing, fished the ocean, and squabbled over societal issues in familiar fashion. It was those citizens - without means of hope, chances for improved lives - that Tri-blade felt the most compassion toward. Alas, too many supers were pure battlers, while there weren't enough doctors or engineers.

"Is that Bermuda?" said Rosa, as a small object passed by to the left.

"Aye, my home... in a different life," he replied. "To think, I don't even think I spent much time there since coming through, Rosa. Virtually non-stop exploring, adventuring, dealing with global and interstellar threats,... just as well, I suppose. Don't know if I'd want to encounter mirror versions of old friends, family or even myself if he existed. But anyway, we're nearly there, hate to end abruptly but we gotta get moving."

The jet banked and descended. Another small landmass - entirely man-made, and well-guarded to boot - became visible. More aircraft-carrier than island, there was enough space to land a few jets or dock boating vessels. It served as a excellent 'front gate' to the Aegis sanctuary.

Tri-blade opened a radio communication to the watchtower, and received clearance to land. The stealth plane landed softly on the tarmac, then Rosa and Tri-blade emerged.

A young man in navy uniform approached the pair, and introduced himself as Lieutenant Commander Moore.

"Legion are always welcome here, sir, but I must insist on telling us why you need access to the sea-area," he began.

Tri-blade shrugged. "If I can get to who I need to get to on the surface, that's fine too, but I need to speak to specific Aegis members themselves, with all due respect. I understand your role here and don't want to 'pull rank', but if I have to -"

A booming squawk interrupted Tri-blade's reply. All looked up and saw a large bird circle overhead. It quickly held position as if sizing up the newcomers, before diving rapidly at the others.

"What is that," said Rosa softly.

"Stay still, Rosa," said Tri-blade sternly. "I think an old friend is nearby."

The bird soon became more visible. Its broad wings were fully stretched as it gracefully approached. It caught Tri-blade's eyes and held its gaze completely. It screeched briefly, staccato notes carrying across the uninterrupted landscape. As it approached human eye level, it flapped its wings more vigorously, and held position about 5 feet away from the trio.

"I think that a higher-ranked officer is here to handle your questions," said Moore. Tri-blade nodded, and turned.

A woman, blonde-haired, slim and clad in a royal blue bodysuit, walked confidently towards them, The grin on her face was wide as she held her arm out. The bird chirped once, then flew towards her mistress. It circled once around her before gently landing on her left shoulder.

As Rosa started hopping up and down in pure unadulterated delight, the woman held her arms out in greeting, with the bird quickly hopping back into the air. "Tri-blade. Been a while," she cooed.

Tri-blade embraced his old friend. "Lady Goshawke. How goes R-Fed?"

Lady Goshawke giggled.

Tri-blade and Rosa didn't even notice the newcomer. A large, slim-legged dog had appeared, and began sniffing around Rosa.

"Hey!" Rosa said, with a hint of a chuckle.

"Please excuse Beezer," Lady Goshawke said, "Haven't had him as long as the Gos, but he's no less faithful a companion. And you, Tri-blade's friend, are?..."

"Rosa... Velazqua," was the stammering response, accompanied by a curtsey. "Tri-blade's my godfather."

"That is good," Lady Goshawke replied. "I didn't think Tri-blade was into accompanying female companions that much younger than himself, so this makes sense." She threw a sly grin and wink at Tri-blade.

Tri-blade continued the banter for a bit. "Well, I'd always find time to take a fellow vet out for a drink, if she wasn't so busy in the stratosphere, mingling with giants and climbing proverbial walls... congrats on your recent accomplishment by the way."

"Thank you. For what it's worth, you should have made a push long time ago, who knows?"

Tri-blade nodded. "True."

A brief silence allowed Tri-blade the chance to get down to business. "Lady G, I'm glad it's you that I've met. We need to get ahold of Mystik at once. Is he here?"

Lady Goshawke frowned a bit as she rubbed her chin. "Hm. I believe he and the other Ascendant members are beneath. Why do you need to speak with him?"

Lieutenant Commander Moore had respectfully stepped away at this point, allowing the others to talk in privacy. Tri-blade made a mental note to send a recommendation letter on his behalf at a later time.

"Ea."

"Ea, you say? Do you know how we can defeat it?"

"Sadly, no... although I think you knew that already. However, I think Mystik, as a world-creator, will be able to save everybody."

The Gos had perched back on Lady Goshawke's shoulder. "We can go down to meet him..."

Suddenly, the bird let out a loud shriek and took flight again. This time, it sped off into the distance, where it seemed to encounter an approaching shape. The new shape dodged and flew towards the landing site, with Gos in pursuit.

"Someone call off that bird, doesn't it know I'm one of the good guys?" shouted Aflima as he landed. Aflima turned, fists ablaze as the Gos returned.

Lady Goshawke whistled once, and Gos returned to her mistress's shoulder. Aflima removed his sunglasses, looked Lady Goshawke up and down, and flashed his teeth. In a deeper voice, he said, "You must be Lady Goshawke. Your reputation precedes you and is only beaten by -"

"This is my friend, Aflima," interrupted Tri-blade loudly. "He's with us."

"Glad to hear. Well, let's get going then. Sub's over there," Goshawke replied quickly.

She turned and with long strides, walked towards the vessel. Rosa, Tri-blade an Aflima walked together behind her, as the dog galloped in another direction. Aflima began to protest at not being given a chance to chat more, but Tri-blade only shook his head.

Visibility out of the small windows of the sub was fairly low, and the most that Rosa could make out were small swarms of amberjack that flitted around in the ocean. Aflima gazed nervously out of the window on his side of the submarine while Tri-blade sat back contentedly. Lady Goshawke was up in the cockpit, guiding the ship towards its final destination.

"Sorry the view isn't anything to write home about, guys," came Lady Goshawke's voice through the speakers. "We've had to increase our security measures a dozen fold ever since that regrettable incident with Sin and Captain Avenger."

"Understood," sighed Tri-blade. It didn't seem that long ago that his friend Captain Avenger risked alienating himself from Aegis by making a daring break-in and rescue of Sin. The ends had justified the means in retrospect, but it was fortunate that things did not escalate into anything catastrophic. Tri-blade was more than willing to overlook what was only a minor inconvenience, in order to reach Mystik. "How much longer?"

"Actually," came the sweet reply, "we're already here. Hold still while we dock."

In a matter of minutes, the submarine was secure in an airlock. Aflima was most grateful to have a fresher supply of air about him, as Rosa continued to be wide-eyed with excitement at the new surroundings. The trio followed Goshawke through a hallway, and then into an escalator. Goshawke pressed a finger to a sensory pad, then pressed a set of numbered keys. They descended again.

Before Aflima could complain about going further below sea level, the elevator door re-opened. Goshawke strode out, and rounded a corner, quickly followed by the others. She came to a shiny door and it opened up automatically.

In front of them, two men of athletic build and decent height were sparring. The one to the left was wielding a thick staff and trying to jab his opponent with it. His adversary, clad in an all-blue uniform, was using gauntleted arms to parry the attacks. The motion was smooth yet fierce in intensity. And beyond them, sat a man in a deep purple uniform, black sunglasses and blue cape. The man with whom Tri-blade wished to speak, Mystik - was only a few feet away.

The combatants noticed the new arrivals and stopped their battle. Grunting simultaneously, they stomped menacingly towards an unflinching Tri-blade. Both men stood a few inches taller than Tri-blade and looked down at him as if he was an ant. Yet, Tri-blade only smiled. Rosa instinctively took a step backwards.

"Big Dog... Algadon..." said Tri-blade without fear.

Only a faint growl from Big Dog appeared to serve as response.

Lady Goshawke cleared her throat, then called out to Mystik, "Mystik, are you familiar with Tri-blade? He is a member of the Legion... he and his friends need to talk with you for some reason. Is that cool?"

Mystik walked towards them, Algadon and Big Dog stepping aside. Tri-blade could not tell if Mystik was annoyed, eager or non-committal to meet with them, but he already felt as if he'd have an opportunity to present his thoughts. Mystik confirmed Tri-blade's hopes by offering his hand out in greeting. They shook hands readily.

"My friends and confidants, Rosa and Aflima," Tri-blade gestured as his companions.

Rosa bowed slightly, while Aflima nodded. "Nice shades, buddy," said Aflima.

"Yours are pretty sharp too," replied Mystik, his voice smooth and confident. He turned back to Tri-blade. "Have a seat?"

Soon, Tri-blade, Aflima and Rosa were seated at a circular table. Lady Goshawke and Mystik were also seated. Algadon and Big Dog stood a little away as if guarding the group. Neither of Mystik's companions spoke.

Tri-blade began to summarize his journey thus far, being careful to not mention the actual Foundation, rather focusing discussion on the encounter with the spirit guide and the revelation on safety by realm-jumping. Mystik and Goshawke listened intently.

"... so I have come to you, Mystik. You, through the venue that your companion is named after, I think could open the way wide enough to allow everyone a chance to avoid destruction here. Yes, I know there's no guarantee that everyone could find a way to survive and thrive in the world of Algadon, but I'd rather everyone have a chance to serve as a mage, cleric, harvester or merchant there, than simply await their own demise and despair.

"Do you have that power? Can you help?"

Mystik folded his arms, and bowed his head. Even Goshawke turned her eyes to face her ally.

Finally, Mystik spoke. "No..."

"It can't be..." whispered Tri-blade in disbelief.

"... we cannot save them all. We can try, Tri-blade... and we can keep our gateways open for an extended period up until we're overrun... but we do not have the power to bring the millions of bodies through. Thousands, at most. We have thought a while on this, and have begun our own contingency plans to provide passage to Algadon. However the combination of limited energy reserves and the fact that Algadon is a far harsher realm than this, means that we simply cannot get everyone over. I am sorry."

Mystik began to rise, but returned to his seat on seeing Tri-blade's face drop.

"No, no,..." continued Tri-blade. Aflima put a hand to Tri-blade's shoulder, but he shook it off.

Rosa interjected, "Why are the energy reserves limited?"

"The energies I can bring forward for these kinds of transfer,... they're incompatible with the transformative energies of this realm. They are virtually at war with each other, and are somewhat self-destructive. It does not renew, instead voids itself never to be useful again. Unlike Thrane, which provides a perfect flow... so that people could indefinitely send their physical forms back and forth. Algadon would irrevocably cut itself off from this realm. You would need a compatible realm, plus a source that could facilitate a steady and large flow. What other realm could provide this?"

The room fell silent. Tri-blade held his head in his hands. Rosa chewed on her bottom lip, and even Goshawke was fidgeting.

Aflima looked around. "Hungry. Any chefs around here?" he said to himself, not quietly enough to avoid being heard by the others.

Immediately, Tri-blade's head went up. His eyes were bright and eager.

"What?" asked Rosa.

"Aflima unwittingly gave us the solution," smiled Tri-blade.

"Naturally," smiled Aflima. "...which was?"

Tri-blade spread his arms out wide. "We needed a target realm that was of compatible energy as this one, yet was not within this one's environs. Who provided an environment based on the exact original fundamental energies as this one?"

Rosa looked on. Goshawke began to smile. Mystik and Aflima looked a little pensive, by comparison.

"BrainChef. He was part of the fabrics of this realm long ago. Disappeared several months back, but recently re-emerged. A sign? No idea." Tri-blade was speaking quickly, his excitement renewed.

"The Chef can do it," Tri-blade sat back with satisfaction.

Lady Goshawke tapped the table. "Hold on, Tri. Brainchef has returned, that's true, but his own realm isn't in a suitable state to absorb everyone here. No telling if people will turn into protozoa or what.

Without a sure conduit, it's simply not safe."

"It's not safe sticking around here," countered Tri-blade.

Not denying that by any means, but you know you can't be hasty."

Rosa asked, "What could a conduit entail?"

Goshawke replied, "It would be a device or object... a person, even, that has as its source material, a kind of essence of the realm. Last thing I know that could have been considered such would be the Dark Matter, but there's no way I'd want to try to harness that substance. More simple examples would be the Sword of Penance - long lost, Fuma Hanzo's Ninja gong or Bloodvayne's coffins. Neither of which would be of use to us. Too small and easily spent."

"Even with a thousand of those, we'd be woefully short of anything sustaining," agreed Tri-blade.

"There is Triton's Pearl," said Mystik.

"Triton's Pearl?" exclaimed Aflima and Rosa simultaneously.

"As you know, Triton and his mermaid daughters have been having a skirmish-of-sorts. One aspect at play is the use of the Pearl, and it is known that Triton was one of the last denizens of the original realm creators, only emerging within the past few months," he continued.

"So if we get the Pearl from Triton, we can get it to BrainChef, and we're golden?" asked Aflima.

"I believe so," said Mystik. "It takes advanced knowledge and skill to utilize them, but BrainChef is at least my equal in this aspect."

"Excellent," began Tri-blade, "but how can we get it from Triton?"

"Leave that to me," smiled Lady Goshawke. "Being Ambassador has its privileges."

---

After a further brief discussion, Rosa, Aflima and Tri-blade went to freshly-prepared rooms to nap for a short period, while Lady Goshawke left the company. All slept peacefully, their previous exertions having taken their toll. They later awoke to find bowls of Thunderscotch candies next to their beds and a note to meet top-side.

The early evening breeze whistled around the trio as they stood on an off-shore dock at sea level. Lady Goshawke stood nearby contentedly, her magnificent Gos relaxed on her shoulder. She turned to her friends.

"Behold, friends... the ingredients to a King Triton raid," she said with a flourish. She stretched out her arms to both sides as her bird took flight again. She opened clenched fists to reveal two differently coloured shells.

"Those must be rare," said Tri-blade appreciatively.

Lady Goshawke replied, "There aren't many in this world who have wielded these shells, and with them, I shall bring forth your chance to obtain Triton's Pearl. Be strong and patient, warriors. We won't be battling alone."

She connected the shells, and whispered an inaudible chant. A purple mist emanated from her hands and spread outwards in a large ring. As the ring grew, the water beneath began to appear solid, but Tri-blade pointed out that the solidity was actually the beginning of a translucent floor forming for a battle arena.
Strange humanoids began to leap out of the water and land upon the strange flooring. They stared at the foursome with evil grins, and pointed their spears skyward. More of the creatures emerged, and quickly numbered in the several hundreds.

"They're like merpeople, but with legs instead of tail fins," said Rosa quietly to nobody in particular.
"Indeed they are," said Goshawke. "And we need to defeat them all. But do not fear, they are not real in any sense apart from being our challenge in battle. Vanquish them all, my friends, and Triton's Pearl may yet be yours. And now, for our allies! Come!"

The Gos let out a shrill noise, and the booming sound of speedboats erupted behind them. The heroes turned around to see a squadron of boats approach at rapid speed, before a bunch of Aegis's finest heroes leapt out and immediately engaged in battle. Tri-blade hesitated only a second, then drew out his weapons and charged the merpeople. Rosa, Aflima and Goshawke were right behind.

The battlefield was a figurative sea of green, blue and pale-skinned merpeople, but that did not stop Tri-blade from hewing his way across the field, all the while looking for something that would approach the appearance of a large pearl. To his right, he could see the Diamond Ace heroes knock three opponents over with one swing. He dropped to sweep-kick one enemy, and on rising, glimpsed Supermonkey - on a vine - where the devil was that attached? - swinging through a bunch of the merpeople.

Minutes passed without relent, the thunderscotch energy serving its purpose well as Tri-blade slashed away. He took a blow to the shoulder and stumbled momentarily, then an arm reached out to him. Instinctively, he grabbed it and allowed himself to be pulled up.

"If you don't hurry, all the booty will be mine!" laughed Doc Zwiggle, most infamous of the so-called 'pirates'. He jumped away quickly, continuing his cackling.

"Not just Aegis folk have been summoned," smiled Tri-blade as he relaunched his attacks.

The battle continued, and it became ever more clear that Lady Goshawke had sent the call out to battlers from various groups, factions and regions. Tri-blade spotted badges and insignia from NMDS, A51, Battle Born, War Machine, Gods, Fight Club, and some he didn't even recognize. At one point, he could make out his comrade Xelume engaged in battle across the ring. He called out, but couldn't get his friend's attention.

Aflima flew over his head and shot fire bolts to the enemy, clearing the path for the moment. Lady Goshawke was soon at Tri-blade's side.

Goshawke pointed. "And there he is."

A slightly larger person, well-muscled, loomed over the group. Tri-blade could easily see the golden crown on the new entrant's long gold-tinged hair, and knew who had come to join the raid.

"Triton himself," said Tri-blade.

"If you look closely, you'll see he has his Pearl mounted within that scepter of his. I don't think you'll be able to win the scepter itself off him," added Goshawke, "but I think you have a chance to break the Pearl out of it. But be quick about it!"

Lady Goshawke dived away to her left, tackling an onrushing merperson as Rosa worked her way towards Tri-blade and Aflima.

"Racking up the hit count," smiled Aflima.

"Not really," sneered Rosa. "Trying to be stealthy and cause minimal fuss, as it looks like I'm gonna be needed right here, right, Tri?"

"You got it," nodded Tri-blade. "Need a little bit more stealth in a sec..."

A quick huddle, words exchanged, and the trio went to work.

The streaming flames landed towards the large form of King Triton, but struck to the right of him. Triton looked towards it as if anticipating a secondary strike, but there was none. The distraction was enough for Tri-blade to teleport to within striking range. Tri-blade immediately swung an open hand towards the sceptre. Anybody gazing on the scene may have thought that Tri-blade misjudged the length of his arm, but Tri-blade, undeterred, leaped back into his portal and disappeared.

---

King Triton looked back but saw nothing of interest. He continued to survey the arena as battle raged all around. His forces were being overrun, as expected, but to him, his goal was prolonging this as long as possible - his game to deny the heroes the rewards they seeked.

It was the least he could offer battle-starved warriors with the eminent demise of this reality on their doorstep.

A very young woman walked into his line of vision, and started to wave her hands in his direction. He soon felt the pangs of a psychic attack, temporarily disorienting him. Such impudence, he thought, as if he was a common thug or person that easily vulnerable to mental attacks. He swung his arm, and the woman was sent hurtling backwards from his telekinetic slap. He felt a little buzz near his other hand and his sceptre, but thought little of it.

---

"One more should do it..."

---

Aflima looked over and saw Rosa regain her footing. Satisfied that she was no worse for wear, he blazed a path towards King Triton, skirting the melees around him. He allowed fire to engulf his body and created a blazing sight to any onlookers. Quickly, he saw Triton looking directly at him.

"Let's rock," said Aflima.

Aflima shot a slow-moving fireball to his right, then flew upwards in the air and slightly to his left. Triton ignored the fireball, but instead followed Aflima's path to make sure he wasn't caught unawares by the apparent feint. Meanwhile, behind the fireball, a man jumped through a portal and back. He checked his comms, then went to fight some merpeople.

Aflima grinned and joined the skirmishes.

---

The final few merpeople fell, as Lady Goshawke and her allies claimed a quick victory. Immediately, the defeated folk dropped through the flooring and into the ocean. High-fives were shared among the heroes as they began to collect various trinkets scattered in the vicinity. When all items were retrieved, the heroes began to leave, either skyward or back toward the boats.

"This sooo- does not match my uniform," said Aflima plainly as he lifted up a rainbow-coloured device.

Rosa snatched it quickly. "*I* like it a lot, thank you very much."

King Triton began to turn away but stopped at seeing Lady Goshawke waving her arms. He smiled wearily, then walked towards them.

"A good battle," Goshawke said.

Triton nodded.

"We have won your legendary Pearl, King Triton. Now we need some information from you," she continued.

Triton for the first time spoke, and the voice was surprisingly pleasant, yet deep. "Ha! I think not. The common pearls, yes. And the various pieces of loot. But my Pearl, there is no..."

Triton raised his sceptre and looked at the now-empty casting. His jaw loosened as he faced Goshawke, now with Tri-blade at her side.

Tri-blade opened his hand to reveal the missing Pearl. The colour was a bright, heavily tinted yellow, and even then it showed traces of a blue hue. Rosa and Aflima went wide-eyed at seeing such beauty.

King Triton laughed even more loudly. "Well, then. Fair and square, I suppose, although I do not know how you managed it away. I take it these companions were the source of my downfall?"

"I am Tri-blade, and my friends Aflima and Rosa Daughter of Macaia worked together to distract your attention while I worked at loosening your Pearl." The Realm Defender took a step forward, instinctively taking Rosa's hand.

Triton put his hands on his hips, and nodded.

"I am known as a teleporter, however the same energies I use for creating portals I can use to cut... and in this case, cut out. Once I saw how the Pearl was mounted, I was able to finely dislodge your Pearl, although it took a few attempts to get it out in its entirety."

"Pink herself would be proud," added Aflima. "A fine bit of lock-picking."

"And so it would seem," replied King Triton. "But what purpose do you wish to use my Pearl, humans? The monetary value is extremely high, however I do not see the use of additional money or gold equivalent for heroes at this time."

"Not money, but lives," replied Tri-blade. "You see, we believe we have a way to save the people here but it requires using your Pearl, and BrainChef is the person who can utilize it best.

Triton rubbed his chin.

"But now, we need to find him. Would you know where he could be found?" asked Tri-blade, looking first at Triton, then at Lady Goshawke, who shook her head slowly in response.

Triton replied, "Mecha City is where BrainChef can be located. It's a way away from SHC itself, but not that well-known a place. I'm sure one of your leagues can find it easily enough. Go, with my blessing, and best of luck to you."

With that, Triton jumped in the air before diving into the ocean beneath. Immediately the flooring began to dissolve and Rosa and Tri-blade had to rush to reach the dock before they fell into the water.

Aflima said, "So the journey continues."

"As it must," replied Tri-blade. "Lady Goshawke, I am so grateful for your assistance in this. Do you want to continue with us?"

Goshawke frowned. "On a matter like this, I would love to, however I have more obligations to pursue with Aegis and the Ambassadors. But keep me posted and I will aid you in a pinch anytime. Come, let's get back to base and Gos-speed to us all."

"This was generous of you, we really appreciate this," beamed Tri-blade. The Darkstar stealth plane had been refueled and given the once-over by the maintenance engineers, but the big surprise was the allowing of Aflima to pilot a loaner aircraft for the journey to Mecha City.

"Aflima assures me that he's an expert pilot, so it's no problem at all. We'll send a team to take back the aircraft if you're unable to return it for whatever reason," replied Mystik. "It's a similar model to your Darkstar, and nearly as fast. Shouldn't take any time at all getting to Mecha City. Good luck finding BrainChef."

Tri-blade, Rosa and Aflima said their goodbyes to Mystik and Lady Goshawke, and soon the three heroes were airborne again, heading further westwards.

---

About an hour later, both jets dropped to subsonic speeds as the skyline of Mecha City came into view. The view was dominated by a quartet of immense skyscrapers all in a row, creating a step-stone effect across the landscape. The jets banked sharply to the left as they spotted the airstrip.

"Whoa, check that out," came Aflima's voice across the radio as they descended. Rosa turned her head and looked outside. She could make out a pair of enormous humanoid robots engaged in a battle. Metal clashed and sparks flew as the gladiatorial combat ensued.

"Can't tell if they're robots, or people in robotic exoskeletons," said Tri-blade as his aircraft glided onto the runway. "But we'll soon find out."

With the jets soon securely parked, Aflima was the first to leap out.

"Where to, chief?"

Tri-blade, Pearl in hand, jumped out of the cockpit. "The Municipal Park is our goal. According to Mystik, BrainChef creates the gates to the Mecha Galaxy Realm from that spot. If we head there, Chef himself may come out to meet us... Rosa?"

Rosa emerged, holding a small device. "Releasing ZR-4M."

Rosa pressed a button on the device, then passed it to Tri-blade who quickly sheathed it into a pouch on his belt. A compartment within the fuselage of the jet opened, and out slid a barrel-sized box. As it struck the runway, gears inside whirred and panels disassembled. The folding and refolding process continued until a full-sized motorcycle, complete with fully inflated tyres, was completely assembled. Tri-blade vaulted onto the seat, motioned Rosa to jump on, then flicked a switch to start the motor. A pleasant, steady roar was heard.

"I'm really jealous," nodded Aflima. "Lead the way."

Tri-blade turned the throttle, and the bike zoomed ahead with Aflima taking to the air in pursuit.

Tri-blade quickly noticed that the road they were on, while leading directly to the heart of the city, led directly across the area where the mech fighters were battling, He sighed audibly.

"Prepare to distract them, Aflima," he said into his comms unit. "But first..."

A staccato series of beeps served as Tri-blade's first query into whether he'd be granted uninterrupted passage along the road. The two mecha turned in the direction of the sounds. From here, the heroes could see that they were fully roboticised, with no signs of a human presence within. As the nearest mecha raised an arm and revealed what appeared to be a pulse cannon charging up, Rosa groaned. "Rats."

Tri-blade made no motion, yet turned the throttle to accelerate. The engine hummed more loudly and the vehicle sped forwards.

A spark of light nearly blinded Tri-blade, but he was well-prepared for the attack and tilted his body. The energy bolt screamed over his right shoulder as the bike darted quickly to the edge of the road and into the grassy area parallel to it. Quickly, he leaned back to his right and the bike obeyed steadily. Sensing the hostile movements, Tri-blade shouted to his friend above, "Your turn."

"Why am I always being called in to save *your* bacon, Tri?" joked Aflima as he drew his arm back.

A fireball struck the mecha in the head, forcing it backwards. Aflima began to charge in for the follow-up assault, but was beaten to the punch by a brilliant indigo-coloured beam of energy. Aflima looked towards the source of the attack, and smiled at the sight of Tri-blade, knee bent, pushing out the steady energy currents of his Nova Burst. The second mecha looked at both humans as if to size up the attackers, then turned on its heels and noisily stomped away into the thicker forest area.

"Um, Tri? Little help?" Rosa was trying to keep the bike steady once Tri-blade jumped off, but was on the verge of stumbling off-balance. Tri-blade ceased his assault, and ran back to assist.

Aflima chuckled again, delivered a finishing blow to the first mecha, then resumed his trail to the city centre.

"Whoa. Look at that," said Aflima quietly.

Aflima, Tri-blade and Rosa arrived at the entrance of the Municipal Park in the heart of the city and looked upon a strange sight; a spherical disc hovered in the air, its surface rippling like ocean currents. It shone with a silvery colour, while the front face briefly showed itself to be translucent.

Tri-blade tried to look into the centre of it, but saw only trees and buildings - the reflections of their surroundings. He pushed his bike onto the kickstand, then walked towards it slowly. Rosa followed close behind while Aflima remained at a distance.

Tri-blade got to within 5 feet of the disc and paused. Now that he was directly in front of the strange object, he made a note of its height. It was taller than he initially thought, nearly ten feet in diameter and hovering only a foot off the ground.

"What is it?" asked Rosa, eyes wide and not hiding her concern in any way.

"It may be a portal of sorts, but I'm not..." began Tri-blade, just as alarms blasted through the early evening sky. The heroes instinctively raised their hands over their ears and ran to each other. Strobe lights began to illuminate the heroes in a bright red as the sound blared on.

"I can't hear you!" screamed Aflima as he futilely looked for the source of the annoying sound.

One giant mecha, followed closely by a second, emerged from one street into the city square. Others quickly emerged from all directions. Soon there were dozens, fifty, over a hundred. Each of them had an arm raised to point at the trio, and at the end each arm existed pulse cannons or other artillery focused and ready to fire.

The alarms ceased their din, although the light beams remained strong upon the heroes. Aflima dropped his hands first, and clenched his fists.

Aflima muttered, "We are a bit out-gunned at the moment, chief."

"Just a tad," agreed Tri-blade.

"Should one of us prepare to go Nova?"

"No, wait. And relax your hands for the moment." Tri-blade took a moment to look around.

Aflima complied with Tri-blade's request, and relaxed. The first tendrils of fire that emerged from his fingertips, quickly vanished. At the same time, his eyes narrowed and he readied himself to burst if the situation called for it.

The tension was felt by Tri-blade too, but he reminded himself of their duty and the need to avoid spoiling the situation by a heavy firefight that would endanger their mission and his teammates.
Rosa stood between her friends, silent as the grave. The presence of such a large number of mechanical creatures was unfamiliar to her; her uncertainty at being able to overcome such numbers outranked her courage at this time.

They waited.

"STOP! Enough!" came a firm, yet raspy voice.

Further bewildered by the proceedings, they looked in the direction of the silvery disc. In front of it now stood a man, of nondescript appearance but wearing all-white. It was only his hat, which was an iconic, if not stereotypical, design, that gave away a hint of his identity.

Tri-blade ignored the relative threat around him, and immediately walked forwards in his direction. "Greetings, BrainChef."

BrainChef looked the taller warrior up and down, then did likewise with Tri-blade's companions. He replied hostilely, "Humans aren't usually allowed to loiter in Mecha City. What is your purpose here?"

Tri-blade, taken aback briefly, stammered in response. "Um, we're not aware of protocol in this area, although I've never known of a place on this planet that wasn't hospitable to people in the manner you describe."

He took a quick breath then resumed, in a more confident manner, "But, we're not here to dally over protocol or perceived slights. We certainly apologize for any infractions that we've committed... and right now we have the most urgent of needs to discuss with you."

BrainChef folded his arms menacingly. More tellingly, the mecha did not lower their arms one centimeter.

"Go on," huffed BrainChef. "I recognize you. You're Tri-blade. You once took on some zombies a long time ago... and if my memory holds, you backed me in some of my efforts in Superhero City.

"I acknowledge and appreciate your gestures, however I demand now you explain your urgent need, or vacate Mecha City immediately!"

Aflima started forward. "Why you conceited brat of a line cook, don't -"

Tri-blade held an arm out, motioning Aflima to stay.

"My friend, loyal beyond measure," smiled Tri-blade. "I don't fully understand your motives for keeping this area as some kind of mech-only zone, but I will honour them once I have made my pitch to you. And now... THIS!"

Tri-blade waved to Rosa, who on cue rushed back to the bike. She grabbed Triton's Pearl from a compartment, and ran with it to Tri-blade. Rosa nodded and smiled as she handed it over, then walked proudly back towards the still aggrieved Aflima.

The Pearl was thrust carefully outwards by Tri-blade. His voice became ever-more pronounced and triumphant, his confidence soaring. "Behold, a Pearl of King Triton! Enriched with the auras of this realm, this deifacted resource, along with your skills as a Realm Creator, is the key to saving humanity - and other sentient creatures willing to make the journey - in this world!"

BrainChef stepped towards the Pearl, gazing at its surface. He grinned widely, yet said nothing in response.

"You are one of the few in such a position to have expressed your love of the citizens here, Chef. It is only fitting, with your recent foray back into this realm, that you could be the one to save them," continued Tri-blade with the same enthusiasm. "Can you, with this great relic, generate a realm that can host any willing residents?"

BrainChef looked upwards. He took three deep breaths, never blinking during the process. Finally, he bowed his head.

In a much lower voice, he said, "It is known that I have passion for this realm, one where heroes and those protected by them, interact on a daily basis. I would certainly do all that I can to rescue the citizens from the wrath of an all-devouring Ea. And this... Pearl... it may be the talisman that I need.

"Pass it to me, and I promise with every fiber of my soul, to save all who need it," he finished solemnly.
Tri-blade stepped towards BrainChef and allowed him to take it. As the Pearl left his hands for the final time, Tri-blade felt a great weight depart his shoulders. He clasped BrainChef's shoulders.

"I'm grateful, that is all. My journey here is over, but those of Superhero City have further hope that theirs can continue."

Tri-blade turned and was met by the embraces of a tear-eyed Rosa, then a relieved-looking Aflima. The trio stood together for a while, as the mecha slowly began to disperse, the metallic stomping soft and deliberate.

"Come, we must be off," said Tri-blade finally. He looked at BrainChef.

BrainChef, holding the Pearl delicately, added, "Farewell, Tri-blade and friends. I won't let you down."

Tri-blade nodded in response, then mounted his bike, Rosa behind. "Lead the way, Aflima."

---

A day later, Tri-blade's meeting with the Legion of Superheroes took place in the Common Room of the majestic Castle Haven in South Australia province. Situated in a secret and discrete location between Adelaide and Melbourne, the castle was host to a myriad of top secret devices and vehicles, and had served as the headquarters for a few years.

The plush meeting room was state of the art, and featured designs from the greatest scientific, engineering and artistic minds to ever wield the famed 'L*' insignia. The current members of the team filtered into the room quickly, knowing that Tri-blade, a veteran member, had important news to share.

For his part, Tri-blade did not get as much sleep as he'd have liked; the previous night was spent composing letters and other messages that he needed to get out as soon as possible. However, a trusty cocktail of Pepsi Max and root beer had him in an alert frame of mind as he began to speak to his audience.

"Ladies and gents," he began, nodding to River Maya and Rosa before looking at the men in the room.

"I appreciate your trust, as always. No offense was meant by our going off-grid the last day and a half, and I'm glad you understand that I'd only do something like that if it was of grave importance... and it was.

"As soon as the message was spread that this world was under threat from an unbeatable force, I knew I had to find a way to save us. But, I did not want to risk a large scale operation and potentially undermining the effort. You see, I went to the old home of Foundation -"

Someone whistled and Tri-blade saw at least a couple of jaws drop.

"... and I doubt that I would have been allowed to witness what I did if we had tried to go there en masse. Not only do I think Foundation would have hidden itself, but I also believe that the revelations I received would not have happened.

"Afterwards, I received the clues I needed to begin forming a way out. It took me first to Aegis, then to Mecha City. Now, we are with hope. The people of the world have hope. And now, I must lay the charge on you, my great allies, to spread the word and recruit everybody without an escape plan, to find BrainChef. Share your legacy, lend your hands, aid each other and hope will turn into reality."

Tri-blade allowed himself to catch his breath, and began so speak again, this time in a more business-like tone. "Burning Daylight, you and Big Green are the best men here to work with the old 9PC interstellar services that are in our employ. I'd like you to head to the Orion and Relentless vessels. Take Cosmos with you. Cosmos has the ability to use hyperspace travel without need of a spaceship, so he can probably press ahead to Ketaar. Big Green, I think there's also a way to communicate with Transgression in deeper space. He left this planet a while back, but I'm sure he's still reachable, and absolutely worth saving if we can. Burning Daylight, Yxxix is yours."

Aflima spoke up. "What about Victrix? She's Venusian. Don't know if I could handle the conditions on Venus for an extended time, but I would take the chance."

Waving a hand in denial, Tri-blade smiled. "We have someone more in-touch who I think deserves the privilege. If he's not too tied up, we'll alert him of our findings and let him take the lead from there.

"The rest of you, I frankly don't know how much time there is, it could be days, or weeks. If something happens to the outposts at the edge of the solar system, news would make its way down quickly, but hopefully BrainChef's new venture will be fully operational by then. You *must* ensure that you can get to Mecha City - or whatever location Chef transmits - quickly."

A hand quickly shot up, then Xelume stepped forward, one of Tri-blade's longest friends and allies. Mask removed, the ninja showed a strong sense of concern as he addressed Tri-blade.

"You speak of 'us' making plans to go to BrainChef for escape in the sense that you aren't part of the team. Tri-blade, aren't you going too?"

Tri-blade slowly shook his head. "No, 'X'. A few of you already know this, but my homeland is not part of this realm. Although I have lived here a while and have grown to love it like no other, it is beyond time I head home.

"Besides, I could probably use some freaking rest," he joked. A few laughs were heard.

"That said, if somehow the threat by Ea shows a remote chance of affecting my own realms then I must take precautions over there, and unfortunately we don't have any Realm Creators over there. No, friends, this is my - our - goodbye, to as loyal and dedicated a bunch of people as I have ever been part of.

"Long Live the Legion!" Tri-blade exclaimed, then he sat down.

Immediately, his allies rushed to console him, as tears slowly began to well up in his eyes. The first ones there were Aflima and Rosa, and they held his hands tightly.

Excerpts from the comms outbox of Tri-blade, #T10@LOSZoneA.net:

Message

To: Bombshell <bomby@mad.co.uk>

... I'm kind of envious of you, freeing yourself from the toils of the city (and the maliciousness that threatened you on a personal level) has seemed to rejuvenate you. One of the things I'll miss most is how you never let any of us feel like we weren't pulling our weight, even the senior members. Oh, and the blonde hair. Okay, *and* the legs, lol. Man you were easy-going :-)

Anyway, remember the attachments, map and guide, if you need it. Best to you, always.

P.S. just because you're a bit older, doesn't mean you should cut back on shaving the legs.

---

Message

To: Subterranean <subterranean@aegis.org>

... If I didn't apply to, and got accepted to, the Legion, Aegis would certainly have been my next stop, and who knows how destiny could have reshaped events? In any event, I'm proud to have associated with you, Supermonkey and the stable of worthy people to wear the famed shield.

I hope that each of you is able to find your paths to safety and thrive in whatever environment you choose. All the best.

---

Message

To: Devra <devra@stjohns.bdl.com>

...BD, as you know, is a generous benefactor, and I know all efforts will be made to enable the smoothest transfers of you and your staff. Personally I will miss your demeanour and help especially during my more physically inactive times in this realm.

Of course, Aflima will probably miss you more. Laugh if you must, but I think my friend found an unforgettable connection. Behind the bravado and posturing, he's one of the most kind-hearted and loyal friends you could know. He's going to miss you a ton.

---

Message

To: Obsidian X <o@turbulence.guru>

... crazy domain names, but it figures that your group would snap them up. Your I.T. department must get a kick out of things.

I'm personally glad that we've been able to maintain a solid relationship over the years. 'Buckle up sweetheart' has had a nice kick to it, I gotta admit.

Don't forget to pass along my findings and map to your group. No, I have no idea if Lucifer would be allowed to go through BrainChef's path, but then again I have no idea if someone like Lucifer has his own methods of realm-hopping. Definitely the devil I *don't* know...

---

Message

To: Wyvern <journals@sonic.texas.edu>

... do you remember when we all came aboard more or less at the same time? Rog, you, me? Figures that it had come about due to a world threat in the Brood, but right after that, there were a lot of good times.

I'm glad that you were able to grow from strength to strength in your own career, and didn't let the stares and glances get to you. I know I have no idea what it's like to have green skin and wings on a permanent basis, but I know that you've addressed it with nothing but pride and joy of late.

Take care of your man, and I know he'll take care of you...

---

Message

To: Jarvis <jarvis@bassfoundation.org>

... so Cap, yeah I keep trying to call him Cap, even though I'm used to Avenger,... anyway, he's got his own correspondence with details that I've gathered. In the interim, I'm attaching a few additional items for your personal use so that you'll be a bit more prepared for your future. Nothing of monetary value, but I think it'll be handy.

Besides, for whatever reason, BD's been the main person handing these out, I've managed to only hand one out - to my goddaughter of all people...

---

Message

To: Colonel Power <cg@usarchives.edu>

... did I tell you *why* I applied for the Legion? It wasn't just that you were a strong unit, or even that you had great heroes on the roster that I could share ideas and strategies with...

When BzMan had an unfortunate falling out with Mad Gear - which was all their fault, as their sinister side came out, you and DDL immediately made moves to recruit him. To know that you were immediately on the side of an honourable man showed me that I needed to get into that franchise.

Dedication and loyalty. Paramount.

Congratulations by the way,... don't know if wedding proposals are coincidental with the world's likely destruction, but it doesn't matter...

---

Message

To: Krystal <krystal@bdl.com>

... hopefully you still check this account, I don't want to try to retrieve a Turbulence mail drop instead, since time is of the essence...

... so there are the instructions attached. I didn't get the chance to ask you in depth about Fae-rie and if you had an escape there that avoided Ea, but hopefully that's the case. When it comes to realms, I'm only a defender,... not an encyclopedia :-)

---

Message

To: Evolution <evo@eden.org>

... I'm actually somewhat curious as to how legislators here would define your marriage, from a humour point of view. Of course none of it matters in the long run. Would it be safe to guess that you can move or co-exist in realms unaffected by Ea?

Pass along my regards to Phantom. I wish I could teleport as quickly as he could; blinking seems so much more efficient than throwing portals...

---

Message

To: Captain Avenger <cap@turbulence.guru>

... there's been a sneaky suspicion that you and the Bass Foundation are more connected than you've let on over the years, but it's a no-harm, no-foul situation in any event.

Pass along my regards to George. I know that Zigon was the source of much of Earth's troubles, but he's lost pretty much the entirety of his family, his species, and I can't begin to imagine what he's going through...

... so using the guides and info I've provided, the paths should be open to you for which direction you want to take with George... and Victrix, should you wish to seek her. We all know how much she meant to you during the ordeal with rescuing Knightmare, and I want it to be you who reaches out to her when/if the time comes.

Thank you for being a true-blue ally when times called for it; we've worked together in more situations than I can recall, for some reason, much of it has involved our favourite arch-anti-whatever you call it, 'Sin',...

---

Message

To: ????? <sinmartini@donut.net>

... questions I asked myself were, do you even check emails or calls, or text messages? Yes, it feels beyond strange composing a message to someone that I have fought with and against (more times, against, obviously), but it's more than just a courtesy that I'm notifying you of things.

I suspect you more than most have an inkling of what is to come. It may have been something you once tried to achieve two years ago, but the driving force here is different. I can't describe it as evil or malicious, or even something unknowing, that's behind Ea. Maybe you have a better appreciation of it.

I'm sure if you put yourself, Island and Zombie Control together you'd be able to explain it to a toddler, in fairness. And wouldn't that be a sight?

Out of respect for Valorium, who appears to have embraced you and nurtured (neutralized?) you in a way that none of us have come close to achieving over the years, I'm supplying you with much of what I've gleaned this week. After all, I want *everyone* to have a chance to survive.

Figures... it would be a Merc that was what was needed to bring a gentler, kinder Sinny Sin...

---

Message

To: Blue Wudan <BW13@LOSZoneD.net>

... so I start remembering all the heroes past and present, who've been part of our journey. Yes, cue clichés about quilting, tapestry and interweaving, but there's truth in it. You know who I thought about last night? Sierra and Isis. Sierra was instrumental in stopping the Final Directive, even if the history books may record her as just a name. But all contributions should be worth more than just a fleeting mention.

I'm glad that Kansas life has been on the up and up in the meantime. Should enable a smooth transition if you choose the BrainChef escape route, although Algadon would be tailor made to your strengths...

---

Message

To: Heroic Heidi <heroicheidi@backtocali.net>

... like I've told Bomby in another message, I owe a lot to the ladies that have been in the league. You've somehow provided incentive to us, and not just in a 'make sure the living rooms are kept tidy' sort of way.

It's a 'let me give it my all so that we can achieve better things' kind of deal. You came out a long way before, during and after your time with us and I know the community appreciated your works.

I still say that the squid arms needed to go :-) ...

---

Message

To: Jormungandr <serpent@world.net>

... but somehow, I have a feeling that you too, can migrate outside of Ea's reach of destruction. There was a point where you and the being called Phojexs were in a conversation and the manner of it suggested that you both can exist in other realities in a mere manner of thought. Fascinating yet headache-inducing at the same time.

We only got to interact a couple of times and I know it would have been fascinating (I'm using that word again, heh) to get a different view of SHC from your perspectives.

I'd just have to make sure to not get too close to your fangs...

---

Message

To: Dummy Downleft <downleft@unc.edu>

... but where do I start? In the last several months, you became 'the man in the cafe' with your daily newspaper and cup of joe (or was it tea? or root beer? I never found out), having cast aside your famed mask and cape. The reasons for your departure were valid, of course, and I'm still upset the Mayor's Office didn't do more to protect you and your reputation...

The Legion was never the same without your insight and strategical strength. You were our tank, our rock, and our best resource. We were blessed with the strengths of BzMan, Xelume, Black Lightning, BD and many more, but it was still not the same. Your quarters at Castle Haven we reserved and kept unoccupied right up to present day, kept in pristine condition by Ernie and Bert.

I hope you link up with BD or the others and find safe haven in another realm before too long. Possibly, someplace where they know about Tarheels...

---

Message

To: Pink <pink@turbulence.guru>

... this information can be interpreted as a sign that BrainChef's method is best for the masses, but that Algadon could be a preferred path. It depends on how ruthless you choose to be, I suppose. It would be safe to guess that Fae-rie would not be the same with you in it...

... I've understood that you've been with the Traveller on occasion. I wonder, is he vulnerable to Ea? You should discuss with him, if that's the case. He seems a chipper enough bloke, although eccentric. Which, may be a virtue for his line of work...

... one request, though. I understand that Jeffy's cooped up in his mansion, quivering every night for the past two months. I don't know if it's related to alcoholic withdrawal, or the fact that his gravy train dried right up. And even if he sold all the gold in his mansion, he's still completely exposed and vulnerable to Ea.

Please pass along the information I've provided to him. Try not to laugh to his face, though. I may actually feel a bit of pity for the man now, and I suppose I've never been of the 'kick a man when he's down' variety of man.

Oh. And my bike? It's yours. Enclosed is the access code to start it, and I'm arranging to have it parked at DDLabs until you claim it. Figured it could be useful to you... unless you want to just tear it down for spare parts. Who knows?

BTW, thanks for being good to Rosa.

BTW(2), you gotta ease up on the smoking. Expensive habit, that.

"I promise you, last underwater expedition. So stop sulking."

Aflima grimaced, but jumped into the submarine. Rosa and Tri-blade got in after him. Tri-blade took the controls and they began their descent.

After several goodbyes, the trio were given a fond farewell by the members of Legion before being escorted back to the Atlantic Ocean. From there, they launched the Legion flagship underwater vessel Trident Venturer and boarded. Now they were descending towards Atlantis, the famous underwater city now home to an independent kingdom of underwater dwellers.

"At least it's better than when I got randomly transported down here a while back," smiled Rosa as she leaned back in her chair.

"I can agree with that at least," nodded Aflima. "Teleportation against your will? Ech."

From the cockpit, Tri-blade raised his hand in a thumbs-up gesture.

---

"Here he is," said Tri-blade as they reached the airlock. They stepped outside and took a deep breath of the recirculated air.

Meeting them was a tall man with greenish-blue skin and a silver helmet. His gills, located along each of his cheeks, flapped backwards along his face. His salute was a semi-clenched fist pressed to his chest.

"Rex Tempest. Greetings and thank you again for being our guide on this last leg of our journey," said Tri-blade as he returned the gesture.

Rex's voice was deep in tone. "My pleasure. Are you certain you wish to go back?"

"Yes. All arrangements are in place. If you can, please take the Venturer back to the surface for pickup by the Legion. Then, pass these instructions and note to your king. The note, is for your king to discuss with Triton, as he may wish to collect your species under his wing. Otherwise, the guides will assist you in getting to Mecha City."

A younger man of similar appearance entered the chamber. Rex motioned to him, then as he approached, was handed the notes. They exchanged nods and the younger man left as quickly as he arrived.

"Let's get some tanks for you and we can proceed," said Rex. They exited the airlock and walked through a wide hallway, their feet making hardly a sound along the soft flooring. Soon, they entered another chamber and a doorway to another airlock.

"We will outfit you with personal propellors so that we can quickly get to the cavern, they're easy to handle and -" Rex began, as footsteps walked in.

"Oops. Sorry," came a female voice.

Tri-blade looked on as Isha, the unintentional instigator of more than a few of the heroes' problems in this realm, walked in. She was similar in appearance to Rex, although she wore no helm and her normally shoulder-length hair was pinned up by a strip of gold metal. She looked somewhat regal, not that Tri-blade would admit it.

"Isha. How goes things? Behaving?" he asked.

Isha flushed slightly, then stammered slightly in response. "Um, absolutely. Hello Tri-blade, and Aflima. Young lady I don't recall your name at this time..."

"-Rosa," came Rosa's icy reply, arms folded for additional effect.

"... yes, of course. Rex, we have news to transfer. We have captured an intruder. It seems that he was trying to sneak into the palace grounds. But it was easy enough a task to apprehend and muzzle him before he got up to any damage."

Isha snapped her fingers.

Two Atlanteans walked in, flanking a man who had his hands pinned behind his back. He wore a gold-coloured cloak over a green outfit, with a gold hood obscuring part of his face. His head lifted to reveal a thick moustached face and dark sinister eyes.

"Baron Axon!" exclaimed Aflima and Tri-blade at the same time, channeling their inner Scooby Doo Mysteries voice.

Baron Axon said nothing, but continued to scowl at the sight of more heroes.

"We've placed a voice inhibitor on him for the time being," said Isha, "as when we first apprehended him, he blasted so much belligerent profanities that it would have made the walls weep. The effects will fade in a little while, and hopefully he'll have calmed down by then."

"Punishment for intruders is pretty severe, Baron," said Rex Tempest as he stared at the captive.

"You should just feed him to Jormy or something," said Aflima brightly.

"Maybe, although it's not worth risking indigestion for the Serpent," added Tri-blade. "I trust that you'll deal with him justly and fairly, Isha. Remember though, you may be at a time where mercy may be a more prudent gesture."

Isha nodded, then motioned to her assistants to lead Baron Axon away. Risking a wave as she exited, Isha smiled slightly as Tri-blade and Aflima returned the gesture.

Rex turned back to the trio. "Now, let us get moving."

Aflima, Rosa and Tri-blade donned sets of flippers and each grabbed a personal propellor as the airlock filled with water. They took their portable air supply units and affixed them to their mouth.

"From here until the cavern, you can use hand signals to communicate with me. Follow close behind and you'll be perfectly fine," said Rex as he checked everybody's equipment. Being fully adapted to underwater life, Rex did not need an air tank or flippers, and he was able to speak clearly when submerged.

The water poured in quickly and the gate opened. Rex immediately floated out, and the others followed suit.

"Descend now and follow me," Rex said.

Maneuvering through the deep water proved easy and pleasant for the riders as they experienced close views of fabulous fish and other sea life. Rex led the way towards a rich grove of deep water reefs and soon they were exposed to an array of vibrant and rare corals and sponges. Even Aflima glided easily underwater and marvelled at the sights. Rosa proved very adaptable to the environment and her propellor, by twisting around to observe the ocean above while continuing her motion seamlessly.
Rex motioned for them to ascend slightly as they approached a higher portion of the ocean floor, as they closed in they recognized it as more of a seamount. The wreckage of an old ship served as a faint reminder of the surface world, as they continued.

"This way," Rex motioned, "we're approaching the caverns. There are air pockets within most of them, including the one that will take you to your home world. You'll be able to catch a breath before heading back."

They rounded a corner, and saw a set of gaps in the floor. Rex pointed to the right-most one, and descended into it. Tri-blade followed, then Rosa and Aflima. Despite moving into the cavern, the lighting did not diminish significantly.

They travelled in the slightly darker water for about one minute, then Rex slid upwards and towards a ledge. At this point, Tri-blade noticed that the water indeed had a surface with air beyond it. He breached the surface, grabbed the ledge and pulled himself onto land. Rosa was helped up and then Tri-blade and Rex pulled Aflima up.

As they removed their air supplies and flippers, Rex spoke again. "Once we knew of the additional undersea portals we set up some luminescent sources in the caverns to aid any wayward visitors. There is no need for electricity when we have particular underwater lifeforms that exhibit it naturally."

Tri-blade smiled. "Lightlord would have been fascinated by that," he reminisced. Lightlord, one of his first rivals in thie realm, had been quasi-excommunicated by the Mayor's Office, and it proved to be only one of several times that Tri-blade questioned the rushes to judgement by the authorities in this realm.

"Look," said Rosa, pointing towards a corner of the area. A rectangle, similar in design to the portal in Mecha City, shimmered blue and silver. Tendrils of what appeared to be steam slowly filtered outwards. They instinctively tried to peer through it, but saw only the ripples of colour.

Tri-blade turned to face Rex Tempest. "Thank you for this. All the best to you and Atlantis." They shook hands warmly.

"My pleasure, friends. Take care." He bowed to Rosa and Aflima, and stepped backwards.

Aflima said, "Well, here we are. Together?"

"Yes," said Rosa and Tri-blade at the same time.

They clasped hands, and one-by-one, stepped through the portal and out of the realm of Superhero City.