✧ Chapter 52 ✧

Within the Singularity Stronghold, Voltaze had seized a certain amount of control over the megaverse of Ynadith. However, his ambitions also grew further than what he currently achieved.

He knew that, while The Guardian Of Darkness was in his possession, Omnikra’s level of potential power could far surpass that of the original Ten Eternal Lights. It could even wield each one without being depleted of strength from tearing its bond with all of them.

At maximum damage, it was going to take something new that could rival the weapon’s abilities.

Fortunately, he already did have what was known as The Eternal Light Of Fractality. The Lucid Light said it would be able to break down space and time. As far as he was aware, Prism couldn’t detect its presence. The full extent of its capabilities required the wielder to have control over both The Ten Eternal Lights and Omnikra.

Only three more items needed to be added to his collection in order for this to happen.

To find a way out of this problem, there was one solution that came to mind. By manipulating The Guardian Of Darkness as a vessel to help reveal his true intentions, he made this Alpha Guardian use The Eternal Light Of Time. The fractal portal then opened into this Omniverse’s Eternal Timeline.

Hidden as layers called hyperverses, everything (whether it was a solid, gas, or liquid) shined different opacities of ethereal purple light which seemed to be tethered to some sort of thick cosmic blanket. Higher concentrations of it were brighter while lower ones were dimmer.

To Voltaze, it felt like nothing. The visuals however, showed something extraordinary that could only be appreciated by seeing it. Of course, the fact that all things were connected as if they were chained together into a massive fluctuating structure still disturbed him.

He would end up exploring other realities that existed within The Eternal Timeline. Most of them unveiled future events that couldn’t seemingly yet be experienced by anyone within The Omniverse. He was able to flicker between every hyperverse that even showed many alternate scenarios of himself fighting to obtain the goal he currently sought after.

The difference between him and these alternate versions was that he was the first and only one out of infinite others who could experience The Eternal Timeline.

In other words, he was the strongest Voltaze out of the rest that existed.

Checking the end of these alternate possibilities wherein another Voltaze attempted to break The Omniverse showed an inevitable failure for every single one of them to do so.

During his search, a particular timeline deep within an alternate hyperverse known as Chibidom resonated with him the most. A version of himself named Chibi Voltaze spontaneously appeared in Animearth to destroy Chibi Styra and Omnikra relentlessly. As The Eternal Timeline showcased everything that occurred from a third point-of-view, Chibi Voltaze failed to kill Chibi Styra and got teleported into the world of Wisteliah.

That was when he suddenly saw a giant figure appear that had not been present in any of the other hyperverses’ timelines.

There, in this entity’s chest, The Eternal Light Of Fractality was present. It looked to have the design of an Omniversal Guardian, but not one he was familiar with.

Inquiries flooded Voltaze’s mind when he looked at the end of that hyperverse’s existence too. Chibi Styra had some sort of team called The Judgment Warriors that fought against both Chibi Voltaze and The Guardian Of Fractility in The Infinite Infernum. Chibi Voltaze would almost win against the team before being stabbed in the head by one of Omnikra’s Kra Blades. Straight after this happened though, The Guardian Of Fractility would defeat The Judgment Warriors and leave the ending of that hyperverse in the dark.

This begged the question of how Omnikra was still intact after everything that happened there. The weapon was one-of-a-kind. If there was any sort of theoretical justification to explain what exactly it had been doing across The Omniverse, the result of its actions would mean it was collapsing entire hyperverses.

Retrospectively, seeing this and being reminded of The New Guardian’s Lore still didn’t sit well with Voltaze. The Lucid Light explained that it was for him, but was it really? He had a hard time trusting anyone after what he went through at birth. His suspicions silently echoed inside his head. Whatever path he was going to choose, destroying Prism was all that certainly mattered now. The Guardians Of The Omniverse weren’t innocent in his eyes.

Anyone that sided with one would feel his wrath. Simple enough.

Upon exiting The Eternal Timeline, Voltaze returned to the Singularity Stronghold wiser with more knowledge of his next mission. By tapping into the cosmos’ interactive world map of Animearth, he could see that Sapphirion arrived inside of a house which he already figured was the base for The Judgment Warriors.

Looking back at Creperus who now remained docile, a dastardly idea came to Voltaze.

He had a chance to infiltrate this place undetected in that world by using The Guardian Of Darkness as a way to fake the events that actually occurred. All he needed to do was send it there to tell Sapphirion that Voltaze had been defeated. That alongside showing false proof of Voltaze himself being captured which The Judgment Warriors would come back thinking they could stay in Animearth more longer because of what Creperus would say to them.

It was the perfect plan which made Voltaze’s sinister side smile even worse than before.

“Prepare to meet your downfall Judgment Warriors. You have no idea what’s coming.”

∗ ∗ ∗

As Nei glanced around Cat’s home, she noticed it had an eerie soft pink and white color theme lavishly designed in every room of the house. The living room was extremely large with walls and patio windows that seemed to be at least two stories high. The glowing lavender futuristic lamps, abstract paintings, and puffy fuchsia carpet decorated the place with an unusual sense of unease. Before reaching the stairs, she passed by a large couch that was facing a humungous flatscreen TV hanging on the wall.

Upstairs, there were an even row of four patio doors on each sides that led to different rooms. Cat, Cat’s friend group, Otodo, and Nei all entered her studio which looked more like a ballerina rehearsal room.

“Nei, I’m going to go back to my room and change outfits. I will be right back. Girls, with me. Otodo, are you going to stay here or...”

Otodo shrugged his shoulders with a laid back attitude.

“I’m cool with here,” he replied.

Cat left the rehearsal room with her friend group to go to the dressing room where Nei could certainly hear meowing noises coming from outside it.

Observing the space around her, she suddenly saw a pair of sparkling orange ballerina shoes laying next to a large mirror. Upon looking closer at them, the inside had the logo of Candiere’s Cafe and an imprint of a tangerine fruit padding the shank.

“You like dancing too?” asked Otodo out of nowhere.

While the disguise of Nei technically would have said otherwise, Styra did have a love for both singing and dancing. It was more of an influence from the natural custom of the tripedyras. She didn’t necessarily recognize ballet dancing, but was interested in it after seeing this place in particular.

“I mean, kind of... Never tried ballet before though. I think I’d like to try it one day.”

A silence started to permeate throughout the room that flowed between the two of them as Otodo reached out his hand toward her.

“Would you like me to show you how to ballet dance? I haven’t had a good partner to do it with in awhile.”

Nei started to hesitate as she already knew that it wasn’t part of the plan.

“Maybe later… Thanks for asking anyways.”

An awkward pause began to build as she attempted to look around the room for more details. Even though she would try to muster up more information about Cat without being suspected of spying, Otodo seemed to show a genuine side of himself.

“Just one dance?”

In that moment, a tense build up of emotions came between Nei and Otodo. Styra’s feelings began to show through the disguise.

Almost as if she was developing a crush on him.

Slowly their fingers were about to touch when a familiar voice came through Styra’s hidden ear piece.

“Styra, this is Flight. We have an emergency. Sapphirion has arrived at Cherry’s house with news. Creperus has caught Voltaze. I repeat, Creperus has caught Voltaze. We need you over here now.”

The alarming message snapped her out of the trance she was initially. Nei exited the studio room, running downstairs before being greeted by Eternika who had turned her transformed her back into Styra again.

By the time they teleported back to Cherry’s house, she saw that Compass seemed a lot more lifeless than usual. Alongside that, everyone there didn’t look too happy for some reason.

Especially Sapphirion.

“You have tested my patience for long enough. I told you that us guardians are already capable enough to handle such threats ourselves, but as always you never listened.”

Taking a breath to think about the severity of what he was saying, she started to point out her frustration with Compass having been muted.

“Okay great, you proved your point. Now do you mind explaining why our robot isn’t even on?”

“It held reserved energy from an Eternal Light. The connection was severed to send that power into the shard that is currently being contained safely at Diamondion’s Castle where her army will continue to maintain guarding it properly.”

Anger was starting to fester in Styra’s mind. Sapphirion came over and ruined the plan to keep Compass visible within their range. Granted, after seeing that Cherry still wore her new suit, she could see some benefits out of this. The shard wouldn’t be messed with and Voltaze wasn’t going to be able to pursue its location. Still, what Sapphirion did meant they couldn’t communicate with Compass anymore.

“Y’know what? I’ll let it slide for now, but we are going to need to place that shard back inside Compass eventually. That way, it can help us solve any other problems.”

Sapphirion’s arrogance proceeded to bash against Styra’s suggestion as he didn’t want any of them prying into what he viewed as his elite order.

“No. The shard will not be placed in anymore machines. Tampering with a system that was never designed for you to partake in is beyond foolish. Your involvement is no longer needed. Because of this, I also order you to hand over the suit you’ve been wearing.”

Seething hatred grew within her as she felt she had finally reached a breaking point.

“Woah, woah, woah! Slow your roll Sapphirion! Do you even hear what you are saying?! There are more threats beside Voltaze lurking around on Animearth and other worlds.”

Eternika, who had been in on the conversation, heavily defended Styra’s reasoning.

“Indeed. This order is not warranted or even necessary for that matter. We still have six other possible enemies seeking to replicate what Voltaze tried to do. If you take away Styra’s suit, who is to say that you yourself would fare a chance against them?”

“A useless lunk such as yourself should know I fare an absolute chance against these threats in comparison to the likes of you,” retorted Sapphirion.

The agitation between both sides created a bitter rivalry amidst the team watching. Hisa couldn’t take anymore of it as she intervened into the banter.

“Stop fighting! Please! We must plan for tomorrow. It’s bad enough that my younger brother who was missing for so many years, is now here and has to listen to this. I’m already losing it over the fact that he’s been stripped of his life unfairly. All of this unfairness… I’ve seen it for too long. Had to deal with it, for too long. And now here I am, realizing that an outer space guardian is actively causing it to happen instead of ending it!”

Hisa began to burst out into tears as she ran upstairs into Cherry’s bathroom with Flight following behind her in frantic concern. Regardless of this, Sapphirion showed no remorse; worsening his attitude out of complete detachment from what anyone was saying to him.

“I see now that you all incite to disrupt the balance of The Omniverse with your petty ramblings. As of tonight, you all are no longer allowed to assist us in finding the missing guardians. Your rash and reckless behavior as a unit has failed to make any progress. Creperus will receive this report indefinitely and Prism will banish you all when it comes back from battling against Chaosity.”

The Judgment Warriors were left speechless while Sapphirion went outside and flew back to The Singularity Stronghold.

Everything that they had been fighting for was about to crumble apart.

“What are we going to do now?! I can’t just wait here and never return to Princess Candiere ever again,” yelled Peppie.

Murmurings amongst the group started to develop as Styra blankly walked toward the front door as if she was about to leave the house. Out of a big situation like this, what could they do now knowing that Sapphirion would tell Creperus about everything? More so painting them in a negative light which would make what they did now, meaningless.

Her forehead softly hit the door as she closed her eyes and leaned forward onto it. Suddenly, out of all of the oppressive thoughts that were tearing down her mind, Snowflake cuddled up next to Styra’s leg in an attempt to comfort her.

Although it was true that Sapphirion had seemingly ruined their plans, she didn’t want to give up that easily. No matter how difficult it got, she had remembered one person that was keeping her going.

The promises she made to Cherry. She didn’t want them to go to waste. With all of the new friends she had made in this world and across The Omniverse so far, they had a choice whether Sapphirion believed they did or didn’t. She was done holding back.

Gently patting Snowflake on the head, she truly felt that he didn’t want her to stop trying either. Standing up in front of the team, she took a deep breath before approaching The Judgment Warriors with a set goal in mind.

To attend the holiday event and stop UVOCA from destroying everything.